


Sleeping Dogs

by Nothing_You_Can_Prove



Series: The Pricefield Playlist [11]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Kissing, Life Is Strange: Before The Storm Spoilers, NSFW, Past Relationship(s), Post-Canon, Romance, Sexual Content, Sharing a Bed, pricefield
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-12
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2018-08-30 15:36:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 57,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8538601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nothing_You_Can_Prove/pseuds/Nothing_You_Can_Prove
Summary: With Arcadia Bay in ruins, Max and Chloe do the only thing they can. Leave and try to forget. The strange goings on have not gone unnoticed, however. For those few who have picked up on these disruptions, it is impossible to let sleeping dogs lie. (Post-Canon - sac!Arcadia)





	1. Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys, welcome to this brand new fic. It takes place in the aftermath of the sac!Arcadia ending and will include some fairly major original characters. Since I have a lot of stuff I want to write and get out, I thought I’d test drive this idea to give you a flavour. I hope you enjoy this first chapter.

**Chapter One: Aftermath**

**Open Road – Near Olympia, WA**

It had been several hours since the tornado hit Arcadia Bay, leaving only destruction and death in its wake. In that time, Max and Chloe had put good distance between them and their childhood town. However, no amount of distance or time would help them to forget what had happened.

They'd passed by Portland a while back - maybe several hours ago - but this was hardly the road trip they had once fantasized about. Not the adventure they had been searching for. The journey had been almost silent, neither of them ready to talk about what they had witnessed. After seeing their hometown destroyed before their very own eyes, it was no wonder. Arcadia held so many memories for them… not all good. And now, they would carry them wherever they went.

The gas meter on the truck was running dangerously low. It had been for a while now. Like the guilt, sadness, and pain, they had been ignoring it up until now. Breaking down was the very last thing they needed on top of everything else. Without saying a word, Chloe pulled into the nearest gas station. She didn't have a lot of money on her, neither did Max, but they were able to scrape together enough to fill the tank a bit. They wouldn't need much, just enough to keep them going.

While the lanky bluenette was busy eyeing up the slowly increasing pump price, Max remained in the truck. Their plan, for now, was to head off to Seattle, to her family home. There was nothing left for them in Arcadia, and they wouldn't make it very far alone without money. No riding off into the sunset just yet.

News of the storm had traveled quickly, and her parents had rung in a blind panic. She assured them that she was okay, well as okay as she could be after being instrumental in Arcadia's destruction. It had been  _her_  choice.

That thought brought a lump to her throat and made her eyes sting. The worst thing was, she didn't even regret it. She hadn't wanted all this to happen - far from it - but in her eyes, the sacrifice had been more than worth it. There was no way in hell she could've let Chloe die.  _No way._ Unfortunately, that certainty didn't make the overwhelming guilt disappear.

Desperate for a distraction, the brunette stared blankly out of the truck window, the glass feeling cold against her cheek. Her right hand - the one that had made this all possible - laid limp in her lap, unmoving. If only she could go back and make different choices… maybe, just  _maybe_ ,she could get it right this time. Then, the rational side of her brain kicked in. She knew that the perfect ending where nobody got hurt was little more idealistic fantasy, unattainable. There were always casualties. The harder she tried to reach it, the more unnecessary suffering she caused to the people she loved. As of now, she'd already done more than enough damage.

Max didn't even notice her friend had returned until she was close enough to touch. "Not sure if you're hungry or thirsty yet, but…"

The blue-haired punk held out some water and a gas-station sandwich, not looking her directly in the eyes. Mostly she was worried that if she looked at Max, into her now distant blue eyes, she'd end up having a breakdown. She needed to stay strong, for both of their sakes.

After some hesitation, Max lethargically took the bottle and food. She didn't have much of an appetite now, but she appreciated the thought. "Thanks."

Chloe tiredly waved away her thanks as she stuck the key in the ignition. "Don't mention it."

"I want to," Max softly, yet firmly, insisted.

Right now, they only had each other. Considering what could've happened, she should be extremely thankful that Chloe was here at her side - which she was. More than she could ever put into words. This outcome was both what Max wanted and her worst nightmare rolled into one, but the most important thing was that she had Chloe back. That was all that mattered now.

The bluenette just offered her a sad smile before continuing their journey. She was getting increasingly worried about Max. With every moment that passed, the freckled girl seemed to fold in on herself more, build a wall nobody would be able to break down or scale. It was a painfully familiar scenario for Chloe, be it under drastically different circumstances. When William had died, she'd done just that. Emotionally sealed herself off from the world. She didn't want it to happen to Max, but there was little she could do to stop it.

As she drove down the road, her fingers drummed nervously on the steering wheel wondering what she should do. Should she speak or stay silent? Crack a joke or keep it serious? Reassure Max or avoid the issue? In the end, she didn't even have to decide.

"Just so you know, I don't regret it. Not even for a second," Max suddenly announced, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on the outside world passing her by. Before she might have considered the view in front of her photo-worthy, maybe even getting Chloe to stop so she could take a picture to commemorate the moment. Now was not the time for that. "I'd do it again. Every single time."

Chloe didn't know how to react to this. It appeared that Max was just as concerned about her as she was about the young time traveler. Truth told, the older girl did feel responsible for all this. If she had just died in that fucking bathroom at the beginning of the week... all those people would still be alive and, most importantly of all, Max wouldn't have gone through so much. It was only because of trying to keep her alive that brunette suffered countless times over. Physically, mentally and emotionally.

"Yeah," was all she could manage, her brow furrowing and voice thick with emotion.

Now was not the time to launch into an in-depth discussion about how they both felt responsible, or anything about Arcadia. That would come later. For the first time in hours, Max looked at her directly. She needed to make this clear to Chloe right off the bat. Otherwise, they would both end up gradually eaten away by the unspoken words.

"I'm not just saying that to make us feel better. I  _really_ mean it."

The flickers of harrowing emptiness and guilt in her eyes made Chloe's heart constrict painfully. She didn't want to see Max like this, ever. "I know you do. I guess I just haven't come to the same conclusion yet. Not that I'm ungrateful for you… saving me. Again."

"I'll say it as many times as I have to," Max asserted, meaning every single word. She hadn't come this far to let Chloe die. Not on her watch.

Chloe didn't want to have to keep relying on Max to keep her safe. Being the damsel in distress just wasn't her style. She appreciated that her best friend was dedicated to protecting her, but it wasn't fair to exploit that.

"Hopefully, you won't have to anymore."

"Yeah…" Max whispered, praying that this would be the end of their trials. Deep down, she wasn't so sure of that, though.

For the remainder of their journey, they stayed silent. Chloe tried the radio a couple of times, even knowing that it didn't work. At least it gave her something else to focus on. They eventually made it to Seattle in one piece, a little worse for wear. After driving around for a while longer under Max's vague direction, they managed to make it to her house.

This was the first time Chloe had seen Max's Seattle home. It was small, smaller than the one they'd have in Arcadia, and a bit of a fixer-upper. When they came to a stop, the brunette slowly got out and led her friend over to the front door. It almost felt like they were wounded soldiers coming home from a brutalizing war. In a sense, they were.

Max knocked on the door, which opened almost immediately. The collective forcefulness of her parents' hug nearly made her fall, but she managed to regain her balance somewhat.

"Oh, Maxine." Her mother shook against her, the calmness in her tone slowly fading. Ryan Caulfield couldn't even speak, too caught up in his relief.

Chloe stood there awkwardly, waiting for them to finish. When they were, she received a hug of her own from both of Max's parents. For a long time, she had been a second daughter to them. They swiftly ushered the two girls inside, closing the door behind them. The bluenette took a moment to look at her surroundings. It was very different from Max's old house but still had that same air of disorganized coziness, familiar and comforting.

After making sure to feed them both, Max's parents left them to their own devices. They obviously had questions - and lots of them - but they knew better than to ask. Neither Max nor Chloe were in any state to provide answers.

They gathered together some spare blankets and brought them up to Max's room, which was probably about the same size as her dorm room. Maybe even smaller. Just like her room at Blackwell, there were photos and other memorabilia stuck to the walls. Dusty books lined the shelves above her desk, along with other random trinkets. Papers were strewn over the desk and chair, long since forgotten. The bed was pushed into the far right-hand corner, only a single. It would be a tight fit, not that either of them minded.

Max unceremoniously dumped her armful of blankets and pillows on the bed and began haphazardly arranging them. Once Chloe had added her stash to the pile, she was hit with a wave of nostalgia: their childhood pillow forts. "Major flashback time."

"Definitely," Max agreed as she flopped down on the bed, shuffling over to give Chloe some room. She was so exhausted, both physically and emotionally. All she wanted to do was hibernate forever.

After some amount of hesitation, Chloe joined her on the bed, making sure not to squish her too much. By the end of it, their faces were mere inches apart. It was a bit awkward at first, thanks to all those newly realized feelings and recent events, but they soon relaxed. Sleep would be welcomed right now, as both girls were beyond tired.

"Max…" Chloe whispered to her… well, she wasn't quite sure what Max was to her anymore. Best friend definitely, savior a thousand times over went without saying, and maybe...

"Hmm?"

The inquiring sound brought Chloe out of her thought, forcing her to answer before she had sorted everything out in her head. "I'm… glad you're here with me."

Max shifted a bit closer to her, which Chloe hadn't even thought possible. "Me too."

"Things looked pretty dicey for a while." That was an understatement, her biggest one to date.

"They still might be," the young time traveler mentioned sadly, unable to shake off the ominous feeling that their struggle was far from over.

Chloe felt around for her friend's hand under the sheets and her fingers tentatively brushed against it. When Max didn't pull away she slowly but surely intertwined their fingers. "That's okay. We'll get through somehow."

Max gently rested her forehead against Chloe's as her eyes closed, lightly squeezing the hand now interlocked with hers. "Together."

* * *

**Arcadia Bay, OR**

Meanwhile, in Arcadia Bay, a car pulled up along the dilapidated main street. Flipped over vehicles and rubble lined the paths, the buildings on both sides destroyed beyond repair. Everything about the once sleepy town screamed disaster area. The sight was a saddening one, to say the least.

Two women stepped out of the car - one short with her dark hair tied into a side braid and the other taller, dyed red hair shaved on the right side making various piercings visible and a small earpiece too. Both wore official-looking black suits, white shirts, and ties. Their eyes, brown and gray respectively, scanned the carnage.

"Damn, they really did a number on this place," the shorter woman muttered as she examined the chaos.

The taller woman nodded solemnly. "That's putting it mildly, Kat."

"Just trying to soften the blow, Jac," the shorter woman, now identified as Kat, mumbled under her breath, frowning at the destruction. "It's scary to think how one change can do so much damage."

"Is that really a surprise?" Jac asked, knowing the answer already. This wasn't the first case like this they had investigated and it sure as hell wouldn't be the last.

"No. It's just… a whole town wiped out just like that. All those people, gone." Kat sighed, finding it impossible to look at this objectively like she was supposed to. "I'll never get used to it."

The redhead glanced over, frowning at the melancholic expression on her partner's face. Without saying anything, she slipped her hand into Kat's and squeezed reassuringly. The shorter woman was normally so bubbly and mischievous, so seeing her like this was always painful to watch.

Jac's voice was calm and soothing, wanting desperately to make the sadness disappear. "Let's just focus on the task, okay?"

Kat swallowed back the emotion and nodded. "Yeah."

"That energy spike was huge. Larger than I've seen in a long time. No wonder they wanted someone to check it out," Jac announced, trying to get them back on task. Thinking for too long about this would just make them feel miserable.

"We need to find out just what the hell is going on," Kat agreed, focused determination gradually creeping onto her face. Despite her normally playful nature and emotional side, when it came down to it she was the most professional person Jac knew. "We can't let someone with that kind of power just waltz around. Who knows what damage they'll cause…"

Jac scanned the bedlam surrounding them. "We've seen part of that already. This won't be the last of it."

If left alone, it was very likely that this level of destruction could be repeated… or worse. Without training, the power wielder would end up being slowly consumed, taking everyone else along for the ride. They, more than anyone, knew that fact.

Sighing tiredly, she began rubbing her temples. "Our job's never done, is it?"

Kat gently nudged her in the ribs. "Oh, come on now. Don't go complaining about it."

"Who said I was complaining? I just love working endless back to back shifts," Jac replied with the only humor she knew, sarcasm.

"Good, because I foresee us doing this for a long time yet," the shorter of the pair pointed out.

"Perfect," Jac sighed. This was what they had signed up for after all, not like they had much choice. Someone had to do this and who better to do the job than people like them.

"At least we've been paired up, right?" Kat had been immensely happy about this. It had taken months of pestering and carefully crafted arguments, but eventually they had managed to persuade their boss to let them team up.

Her taller partner managed a small smile. "Oh yeah, sure."

"You could sound a bit more convincing." Kat pouted, knowing that her partner was just joking to make her feel better. Even though she may not seem like it, Jac cared a lot about people. You just had to get close enough to earn her trust and respect.

With one last hand squeeze, Jac let go and took a device from her pocket. At a first glance, it looked very similar to a normal touchscreen phone. Not suspicious at all. The difference: this device was way more high-tech and expensive. She watched as the screen initialized, prompting a retinal scan and complex password input among other security functions. In the wrong hands, this tech could do a lot of damage, so various precautions were necessary.

When the home screen finally appeared, an intoned electronic voice greeted her alongside a fluctuating voice graph. "Welcome back, Ms. Holt. How may I be of assistance today?"

"HNTR, can you locate residual energy patterns in the surrounding area, please? And extrapolate if you find something," Jac asked politely, figuring that manners never hurt anyone. HNTR understood a lot more than some initially thought and could get pretty sassy if people were rude.

"Right away, Ms. Holt," the voice confirmed, the home screen immediately switching over to another in quick succession as the request was processed.

HNTR - the acronym for Handheld Navigation and Tracking Rangefinder and pronounced Hunter - was predominantly designed to trace and track unnaturally high energy fluctuations. It had many other uses that had developed over time, some not entirely related to their job. HNTR was their main partner and able to hold an intelligent conversation unrelated to missions, as well as giving advice and cracking jokes. Kat always joked that HNTR was better at socializing than Jac - not an unfounded observation.

The shorter woman frowned slightly at the voice. "I don't see why you haven't changed the voice already. It's easy enough and HNTR is totally cool with it, in fact it encourages that. You can literally choose any accent you want, hell even a specific celebrity. Morgan Freeman is tempting, no?"

"Mr. Freeman is a good choice," HNTR weighed in while running the extensive investigation. Out of all of them present, HNTR was definitely the best at multitasking.

"See." Kat crossed her arms and smirked triumphantly.

"I quite like HNTR's default actually," Jac admitted, watching HNTR at work and ignoring Kat's childish display over her supposed victory.

The dark-haired woman shook her head, rolling her eyes playfully. " _You_  would."

After waiting around for a few seconds, an electronic beep rang through the air. Both women gathered around the phone like device, watching as the screen flickered through various cycles. It settled on a map, a red line forming to mark the residual energy trail. As the line continued it became more transparent. The ghost line was an extrapolation of the localized data, useful to estimate a possible end location. This time, it pointed towards the Seattle area.

"I have located particularly unusual activity and have marked the route for you," HNTR announced, sounding mildly proud.

"Bingo, we have part of a trail," Jac muttered under her breath, her gray eyes memorizing the route. "Thanks, HNTR. We couldn't do this without you."

"Yeah thanks, pal. You're the best." Kat mirrored the praise.

HNTR let out a happy bip to express itself, a basic smiley face popping up on the screen to accompany the sound. "You are most welcome, Ms. Holt and Ms. Roscoe."

At the sound of her surname, Kat groaned. "HNTR, I told you to call me Kat."

HNTR paused momentarily before speaking again. "Very well, Ms. Kat. Preference has been accepted."

"Close enough." Kat shrugged, determined to get HNTR to act less formally around her one day.

"Now we've just got to keep following the trail," Jac mentioned as she readjusted her tie. Dressing like this might  _look_ cool, but it sure was a pain to wear. She'd much rather be strolling around in casual clothes given the choice. Formalities forbade that.

"Like a treasure hunt," Kat pointed out excitedly.

That comparison earned her a rare smile from her partner. "Sure, why not?"

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Kat asked as she headed off back towards the car. They had a long night ahead of them.


	2. Together

**Chapter Two: Together**

Blue eyes slowly opened, blurred vision becoming clearer with each passing second. Still dazed, Max stirred. For some reason, her movements were restricted. A pathetic groan came from her throat as the haze in her mind faded. When she was conscious enough to realize where she was, a paralyzing shiver ran down her spine. She found herself strapped to a chair somewhere unnervingly familiar.

**The Dark Room.**

Panic consumed her as she struggled against the constraints binding her wrists and ankles. She couldn't be here now or ever again.  _Not_  here.

"Max, glad to see that you have finally joined us." An eerily recognizable voice echoed, one that made her blood boil. She slowly lifted her head to see Mark Jefferson stood in front of her, his eyes cold and calculating.

"Get away from me," Max growled, the sound akin to the noise an enraged caged animal would make against its captivator.

"Is that any way to talk to your favorite teacher and photographic inspiration? Maybe you need a recap of manners." His condescending tone was one she had never wanted to hear again.

Increasing desperation fueled her attempts to escape this endless nightmare. "All I  _need_  right now is to get out of here."

"Not going to happen I'm afraid. You've only just arrived and it would be rude of me to let you leave without offering my sincerest… hospitality." A smug smirk crossed Jefferson's face then as he watched Max glare at him with murderous intent. "Oh, well isn't that expression a picture? So much hatred and anger. It's enough to send shivers down my spine."

A question abruptly cut through the burning hatred in Max's mind, one that made her freeze. "Where is Chloe?"

"Chloe?" Jefferson feigned ignorance.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Max hissed, having no time for his mind games. "Tell me. Now."

Jefferson stroked his chin, contemplating her brash request. "Maybe try adding a please, then I might be willing to divulge."

"Please," she reluctantly conceded, her loathing for him growing beyond what she thought possible.

"That  _almost_ sounded genuine." Jefferson taunted her, rubbing salt into her wounds. "You don't need to concern yourself with her anymore," he finally replied, not supplying more information.

"Where. Is. She?" Max stressed, wanting nothing more than to get out of these restraints and wipe that arrogant smirk off his face.

He came closer to her, really twisting the knife now. "Not here. She never will be again. You failed her."

Those last three words cut deep, sending her into a spiral of denial. "No, no. You're lying."

"You can tell yourself that if you'd like. I won't try to stop you, but it doesn't change the facts. Don't worry… you'll be reunited soon, Max," he promised as he wandered away from the chair but Max wasn't paying attention to him anymore.

He was lying. He  _had_ to be. Chloe couldn't be… she just had to be okay.

"Just tell me where she is," she repeated more aggressively this time.

His lip curled in disapproval at her tone but he answered her regardless. "Somewhere far away from here. With Rachel." As if to prove his point further, he held up a necklace with three bullets attached to the chain.

Utter despair gripped at Max's heart as she looked at the painfully familiar necklace, not wanting to trust her eyes. The more she struggled against her constraints to escape his lies, the tighter they seemed to hold her down. She couldn't believe that,  _wouldn't._ If that was true, then… then everything she had done up until now was pointless.

"As pleasant as this conversation has been, it's time for you to sleep." He returned to her side, a full syringe in his hand. There was nothing Max could do to defend herself against him, even though she tried.

A sharp pain pierced her neck, her vision blurring again and soon everything went black.

* * *

Max's eyes opened abruptly, a cold sweat forming on her brow as her chest rose and fell rapidly. It took her a moment to realize where she was. Not in the Dark Room, but her own bedroom. Her heart pounded in her chest as the threat gradually subsided. That nightmare had been so real, like she was actually living it… again.

One trip to the Dark Room had been too many for one lifetime, let alone having it plague her while asleep.

She went to wipe at the tears now falling down her cheeks with her left hand but found herself restricted. Her punk friend was still holding on tight in her sleep, enveloping Max's much smaller hand in hers, their fingers fitting together like jigsaw pieces. Chloe was still here.

That confirmation calmed Max down considerably. It had still been horrible to experience the Dark Room again, but knowing Chloe was alive helped. Not wanting to wake her up Max took her right hand, the one that had been used to mess everything up, and swiped at her eyes. Up until now, she'd cried very little. Everything was finally catching up to her.

"Bad dream?" The sleepy question caught her attention.

She glanced over to see Chloe, looking half asleep still, concern lining her face when she noticed the tears. Unable to resist the urge, she hesitantly reached out to place her hand on Max's cheek, wiping the tears away with her thumb.

"Something like that…" Max leaned into the touch, her voice sounded much thicker than normal.

"Want to talk about it?" The prolonged silence answered that question for her. Chloe took the hint and didn't push. Instead, she shuffled closer and tentatively placed an arm around her friend. Her voice remained little more than a whisper, soft and soothing. "No pressure, but I'm here if you want to. You know that, right?"

Max leaned into her, resting her head on Chloe's shoulder. This close she could hear the steady heartbeat - an oddly soothing sound for her. Most might find it disconcerting but it was solid proof that her friend was still alive. That was the only thing keeping her going at this point.

"Yeah, I do. You just being here is more than enough."

Chloe shook her head with a smile. "Don't get all mushy on me, Caulfield."

"Sorry, sorry," Max chuckled softly, feeling much calmer now. The fear still lingered but at least it didn't completely consume her. Anything to ease her emotional suffering.

"What time is it, anyway?" Chloe asked, lazily rubbing at her eyes.

Max fumbled blindly around on her bedside table to get her phone, cursing under her breath when she heard a loud thud indicating she'd knocked something over. Once she retrieved her phone, she looked at the time with bleary eyes. "Too early, also known as four thirty in the morning."

"I don't know about you but I am  _definitely_  going back to sleep," Chloe mentioned through a yawn, settling down ready to drift off to sleep again.

"That's the plan." Not that Max's plans ever seemed to work in her favor.

Chloe offered her a sympathetic look, a plan visibly formulating in her eyes. "I might have a way to help that plan go smoothly."

Before Max had the chance to ask what she meant, a soft humming reached her ears. The melody was familiar and it only took a second to realize where it came from. It was a tune she favored, Obstacles by Syd Matters. The sweet, yet melancholic, melody washed over her in gentle waves, cleansing and comforting. Now she thought about it, the song fitted in well with their situation… almost  _too_ well.

The faint smell of cigarettes lingered on Chloe's clothing. It was a scent Max would normally find offensive but in this case, it served as further confirmation that this wasn't a dream. Anything that let her know her best friend was safe could only be seen as reassuring and therefore desirable. The blend of comforting sounds, scents, and warmth made sleep come much easier to her and kept further nightmares at bay.

Chloe watched as her friend slowly succumbed, the pained miserable expression giving way to rest. When she had returned to a deep slumber, the bluenette placed a gentle kiss on Max's forehead and tightened her hold. By this point, the young time traveler felt much bonier in her arms, like she might break if she was squeezed too hard. It was apparent from the dark circles under her eyes that sleep had evaded her more than once. For someone so powerful, Max was extremely vulnerable.

She would do everything within her power to keep her best friend as safe and protected as possible. Most importantly from herself.

* * *

**Open Road - Near Longview, WA**

It had been a few hours since Jac, Kat and HNTR left Arcadia Bay for Seattle on the trail of whoever had quickened the demise of the sleepy town. That wasn't to say it was their target's fault. The storm had been coming anyway. Blindly using a power that you had very little knowledge of or control over just tipped the universe even further out of balance. That was something people like them had learned the hard way. Judging by the light, or lack thereof, it was early morning. They'd been traveling all night, not able to afford to stop even for a moment. The longer they waited, the colder the trail would become.

HNTR was attached to the windscreen like a satnav, guiding them and generally keeping their spirits up. Unlike them, HNTR didn't get tired. Its battery life was impressive, able to be charged both at a regular plug socket and via minute yet effective solar cells seamlessly crafted into its body. HNTR also regulated itself, allowing for optimal battery preservation. No nights fueled by a never-ending stream of caffeine required.

In keeping with the past few hours, Jac looked over to the passenger's side to see Kat fast asleep. The tension that had been building up in her shoulders ever since taking this mission gradually faded as her gray eyes scanned over her partner's relaxed features. Her lips quirked up into a fond smile, resisting the urge to tuck a stray strand of hair behind Kat's ear.

She didn't have the heart to wake her partner up yet, even though the journey was boring without her constant chatter. Thankfully, she didn't have to. As if Kat could sense the unspoken wish for her to wake, she stirred slightly and her tawny eyes opened a fraction.

"So, you're finally awake, are you?" Jac asked amusedly, briefly glancing at the half-conscious woman beside her before focusing back on the road.

"Mmm…" Kat groaned as she curled up tighter, her eyes scrunched up.

"Come on, lazy bones," Jac prompted, lightly nudging her partner's shoulder. They were nearly there now and it would take a while for Kat to be awake enough to be functional.

"Five more minutes…" The shorter woman mumbled under her breath, having no intention to wake.

It had been a while since either of them had managed a proper night's sleep. This wasn't a regular nine 'til five job, instead with unpredictable hours as they had to be on call 24/7.

"I don't trust your five minutes. From experience," Jac insisted, knowing how difficult it was to get Kat out of bed in the mornings.

It was any wonder how she managed to function without someone there to poke and prod her multiple times. Luckily, Jac had taken that role. It wasn't like she'd had much of a choice, but she didn't mind too much. There were some perks to the job, like being the first person to see her every day.

"Okay, okay…" Kat grumbled. For someone normally so energetic and bubbly, she was not a morning person. When her eyes finally opened, she noticed a jacket had been placed over her to stop her from getting cold. Jac's jacket. Her new discovery helped rouse her much faster than normal. "Aw look, you  _do_  care."

Jac smirked at her partner, eyes flickering with cheeky playfulness. "I'd just rather my partner didn't turn into a Katcicle if I can help it. That wouldn't look good on my report."

Kat's eyebrows raised with mild skepticism. "Right, your 'report'."

"Are you trying to imply that I am capable of heartfelt emotion?" Jac asked, turning the criticism she had received for years into a joke.

The joke at her own expense altered Kat's skepticism to humor. "Perish the thought."

HNTR decided to weigh in here, trying to keep the amusement from its voice. "I can confirm that Ms. Holt cares about you a great deal, Ms. Kat. The elevated heart rate and dilated pupils while she is around you, among other things, would also suggest that…"

"Thanks for the backup, HNTR," Jac swiftly interrupted, feeling heat rise in her cheeks.

While not new information, HNTR stating it in such a matter-of-fact way was embarrassing. It wasn't like it didn't understand sarcasm, so it was just trying to mess with her. Sometimes, HNTR was worse than Kat and that was  _really_ saying something seeing as how she had dedicated her life to teasing Jac pretty much ever since they had become close.

"No problem," HNTR replied using its cheeky, mischievous tone accompanied by a winking smiley on screen briefly overlaying the map route. "Would you like me to continue my analysis, Ms. Kat?"

Figuring that they had teased Jac enough for now, Kat shook her head. "No need. You're telling me things I already know HNTR, but thanks for embarrassing Jac. It's almost impossible to do alone."

HNTR let out a content bip in response. "Happy to help."

"I hate it when you two gang up on me." Jac sighed deeply, thankful for the break from playful mockery.

Even though she was awake, Kat held onto the jacket. It was warm and smelled like Jac so she would keep it for as long as possible. "How else am I supposed to get you flustered?"

Jac glanced over to her and rolled her eyes playfully. "It's not a competition."

"Isn't it?" Kat smirked, knowing that deep down Jac was even more competitive than she was.

This brought a smile to Jac's lips. "For you, apparently everything is."

Her smile was contagious and probably the most beautiful thing Kat had ever seen. Most people would only see her break out into a grin once in a blue moon if they were lucky, maybe even go their entire lives without ever having witnessed it. Kat, on the other hand, had been on the receiving end of countless smiles. Each time it made her heart flutter and filled her with contentment. Her mind started to wander, filling with images that definitely weren't related to their work.

Before she could get too mesmerized by fantasy, she remembered they had a mission to undertake. There was no time to get caught up in appreciation… or longing. That would have to wait. She reluctantly pulled herself from vivid daydreaming and focused back on reality.

Once out of daydream land, Kat started to feel bad for falling asleep on Jac, especially when she had to drive constantly like this. "You want me to take over for a while?"

"You… driving," Jac repeated incredulously. "No thanks. I would like to make it there alive."

"Screw you!" Kat pouted while narrowing her eyes, although her supposed anger was little more than an act.

"Apologies Ms. Kat, but this time I must side with Ms. Holt," HNTR added, fully aware of what happened the last time she was behind the wheel.

"Traitor!" Kat exclaimed.

"After the last GTA style incident, I'm not risking it," Jac firmly insisted.

She'd been given strict instructions not to let Kat anywhere near the steering wheel. Even without the order, she would have made sure her partner remained exclusively as a passenger.

"I was just trying to help," Kat pointed out.

Under normal circumstances, Jac would have been appreciative of the offer. Kat only meant the best, but she would undoubtedly cause more harm than good. "You can 'help' by  _not_  offering to drive."

There was no point in trying to argue. Instead, Kat sat there in silence, looking like a kicked puppy. Even though she had no reason to feel guilty, that didn't stop Jac feeling it. She sighed and took hold of Kat's hand, placing a quick kiss on the back of it. It wasn't the safest thing to be doing now but there was hardly anyone on the road this early.

"I swear you try to make me feel guilty on purpose."

A cheeky grin quickly replaced the disheartened frown. "Maybe…"

With her suspicions confirmed, Jac rolled her eyes. "I thought as much."

"You still fell for it," Kat announced victoriously.

That was something Jac couldn't really argue with. "I did, yes."

A smug smirk quirked at Kat's lips as she sank back into the chair. She was one of the few people who could get the better of Jac. With this knowledge in mind, she decided to check their planned route. According to HNTR, they were a couple of hours away from Seattle now, which presented a new problem altogether: finding exactly where their mystery person was hiding out now in the aftermath of the destruction.

"Now comes the fun part, pinpointing an exact location," Jac mentioned, mirroring her concern.

Kat nodded at the conclusion. It certainly wouldn't be easy. Then again very few things were. "We'll manage somehow."

As usual, Jac took a more rational and realistic approach to their mission, unlike her partner's optimism. "Let's hope so."

"If anyone can do it, it's us. All three of us." HNTR was an important part of their team, so some special attention was needed to make it feel appreciated.

"You can rely on my assistance," HNTR happily reinforced.

Knowing that they were all in this together, Jac allowed herself a smile. "Thanks, HNTR."

"We'd be screwed without you, bud." Kat grinned at the phone-like device now attached to the windscreen.

HNTR remained silent for a moment before speaking again, its voice flickering with warmth. "And I would be lost without you two."

Kat waved away the comment. "Oh, stop… you're making me blush."

"That doesn't take much." Jac grinned, speaking from experience.

As if on cue, Kat started blushing. She mentally kicked herself from demonstrating the point perfectly. It was hard not to blush when Jac looked at her like that. Of course, this only made the taller woman's grin widen.

"A-anyway, let's focus." Kat stuttered, trying desperately to claw back some dignity.

"You're telling  _us_ to focus…" Jac gave her a playfully skeptical glance. "Who are you and what have you done with the  _real_ Kaitlynn Roscoe?"

Kat simply stuck out her tongue, unable to come up with a witty comeback. This inability only seemed to happen around Jac, which was increasingly frustrating. Her childish response made Jac chuckle before she focused back on the road. Somehow, they would make it through this like they always did… together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter down. I think this fic will have somewhere between 15 and 20 chapters maybe. At least, I would like to aim for around that number. It'll take a couple more chapters to introduce everything so I think that's a feasible number. Have an awesome day, take care and see you next time.


	3. Rewind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The memory of Arcadia lingers in both Max and Chloe's mind as they try to re-adjust. Things will never return to the way they were. In more ways than one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm finally back with another chapter of this fic. It's been pretty hectic recently and I'm so happy to be back writing fanfic.

**Chapter Three: Rewind**

**Seattle – Caulfield House, Max's Bedroom**

When Max woke for the second time, it was almost nine o'clock. Chloe was still fast asleep beside her, although she had shuffled around and stolen all the covers just like when they were kids. After shaking her head, the brunette carefully clambered over her sleeping punk friend to get out of bed. The next few seconds she didn't dare breathe for fear of Chloe waking to find herself in an… unintentionally compromising situation. There would be no living with her teasing.

After a few heart-stopping moments, Max finally managed to reach the door without waking her. First things first, she needed a shower. With this in mind, she sleepily stumbled over to the bathroom and started up the shower. After getting undressed, she stepped inside and let the warm water run over her pale freckled skin. It felt good to wash away all the dirt and whatever else had been accumulating. She grabbed the shampoo and lathered up her hair. Her head had begun to feel a bit itchy recently. Hygiene had been the very last thing on her mind.

As she cleaned herself up, her brow furrowed. The only problem with being in the shower was that she was completely alone with her thoughts. All she could think about was Arcadia and the Storm. Of her guilt.

Desperate to distract herself, she turned to the more pressing matter of what she and Chloe would do now. She didn't want to keep relying on her parents, even though they would be fine with it. If she and Chloe could save some money up, then they could eventually get a place of their own. Escape this limbo and start again. It didn't really matter what they did or where they were, as long as they stayed together. She'd need to talk to Chloe about it at some point but it was hard to bring anything up without referencing Arcadia, even just indirectly. They both needed more time to process what had happened.

With a sigh, Max shut off the water and stepped out. She grabbed a towel from the rack and began to dry herself off. Feeling clean helped a bit. As she was looking around for where she'd haphazardly flung her clothes the door suddenly burst open. So used to the bathroom at Blackwell, she hadn't even considered locking the door. Only one person would be so violent opening a door… Chloe Price.

Both of them froze, not knowing what to do. That moment felt like an eternity, almost slow motion as Chloe's expression turned from sleepy to shocked to embarrassed and then…

Before either of them could say anything, Max thrust out her hand and watched her bewildered friend back out of the door in reverse. She just had time to slide over to the door and block it before Chloe attempted to barge in again.

"I'm in here, Chloe. I… forgot to lock the door," she stuttered, blushing lightly at the close call.

"Shit, sorry Max. That was a close call. Good thing you have quick reflexes," Chloe called through the door, none the wiser. "I suppose peeing will have to wait then. Don't take too long or it won't be pretty."

"Y-yeah…"

Max's heart was still racing from being walked in on the first time. Her rewind had been a reflex move, bypassing all thought in favor of immediate action. It took a while for her to calm down again. She leaned against the door, sighing heavily.

The week leading up to now had been… complicated on so many different levels, not least regarding her and Chloe's relationship. She had been blindly fumbling around, trying to work out how she felt amongst all the bullshit and heartache. Even now, she didn't really know how she felt, let alone what Chloe was thinking.

There was obviously  _something_  there, otherwise she wouldn't have dared Max to kiss her before and conversely Max wouldn't have so readily taken her up on the dare. They had yet to define… whatever the hell it was they felt, but there was no denying it  _was_  there. The way her heart was pounding in her chest now was proof of that.

As she stood there wondering how they would have both naturally dealt with the recent situation, part of her regretted rewinding...

Pushing that thought from her mind, she quickly got changed and exited the bathroom. When she re-entered her room, she saw Chloe waiting patiently on the bed. She offered Max a sleepy smile before heading off to the bathroom, completely oblivious to the now erased embarrassment and… anticipation, was that it? Knowing that maybe, just maybe, that moment would have inspired action or at least discussion. Regardless of what could have been, now Max just had to act like it hadn't happened. Easier said than done.

Instead of waiting around and thinking, Max decided to go downstairs and start some breakfast. Her stomach kicked in with a timely grumble, only confirming her choice. It would give her a distraction too. Something she desperately needed right now.

When she reached the kitchen, she noticed a post-it note on the counter from her parents.

* * *

_Maxine and Chloe,_

_We've both gone to work and will be back late. Feel free to help yourselves to food or anything else you need. If you could wash up anything you use and take the trash out, please. Also, there is a load of laundry to do and, if you're feeling particularly helpful and full of energy, you could always vacuum too._

_See you later,_

_Mom and Dad x_

* * *

Placing the note back on the counter, Max began searching the cupboards and fridge. Remembering Chloe's fondness for eggs and bacon, she took the ingredients out of the fridge and located a pan. After turning the heat up, she placed the frying pan down and greased it. Once hot enough, she placed a few strips of bacon in and cracked some eggs into the pan. Everything began to gently sizzle as it made contact with the heat.

As she was turning over a bacon strip, she felt something prod at her waist, making her jolt and nearly catapult the food into the air. She spun on her heel, coming face to face with a mischievous grin.

Max clutched at her chest, trying to calm herself. "Jeez, Chloe… Breakfast was nearly on the floor. You do realize that, right?"

"It was worth it for that reaction," Chloe maintained, her blue eyes twinkling with delight over the havoc she'd caused.

"You're such a pain in the ass sometimes," Max muttered loud enough for her punk friend to hear.

"But I'm  _your_ pain in the ass." Something about the way Chloe said that made it sound like more than just teasing.

"I have half a mind to pull out my rewind and not give you the satisfaction," Max countered, feeling her cheeks heat up considerably and not because of the heat from the oven top either.

"Hey, no rewind cheating!" Chloe's look of mock indignation changed then to something much more vulnerable. "Besides, I don't  _want_ you to rewind a single second of our time together. Good or bad. Happy or scary. Not anymore."

"Okay. I won't," Max promised, feeling a bit guilty about rewinding earlier now.

To be fair, that was before she had made this promise so that time didn't count. From now on she'd make sure to limit her rewinds only to life-threatening situations, so hopefully never again.

Chloe smiled at her so gently that she felt as if she might just melt right then and there. "Good, because I don't want to miss out."

They were so close now, maybe only a foot away. The atmosphere between them was intense but not unpleasant. Blue eyes met, unable to look away once they had connected. Unspoken words hung in the silence, demanding to be voiced as the two friends stared at one another. Neither of them could pull away, frozen to the spot. Just then, the faint scent of burning filled the air and smoke began to billow from the pan.

"Shit!" Max exclaimed as she grabbed the pan and took it off the heat. The bacon had started to burn around the edges, but thankfully the damage was minimal.

"Oh man, you can't cook to save your life," Chloe chuckled heartily, lightly ruffling Max's hair before taking some cutlery and condiments to set the table.

A sudden surge of disappointment passed over Max as Chloe moved away. She had to fight the overwhelming urge to pull her back and… do what exactly? That question was both terrifying and exciting.

Instead of pondering too much over something that wouldn't happen now, she plated up and brought the food over. The fact that they could even do this was a miracle in itself. Just thinking about the other option was too much. Life just wouldn't be worth living without Chloe in it.

As she sat down beside Chloe, Max could feel the tears threatening to fall and tried hard to swallow them back. Unfortunately, she didn't manage to do enough for her friend not to notice.

Instead of digging straight into her food like usual, Chloe glanced over at her with concern. "Max, you okay?"

Her tone was so soft that it almost made Max burst into tears right then and there. She had to keep it together. "I'm just… really relieved and glad that you're here. More than I can ever put into words."

The concern lining Chloe's face faded slightly, giving way to a flicker of humor. "I am too. There's no way I could let someone take my role as your playful tormentor."

"You're more than that," Max muttered loud enough for her to hear as she played around with the food on her plate. She poked the yolk of one of her eggs, watching it erupt into a yellow volcano.

Chloe was silent for a while before she provided a response to that. "And you're more than just my teasing target. Shit has been so crazy recently and… I guess it's put a lot of things in perspective. Showed me, and I'm sure you too, just how little time we could really have. Time powers aside." Suddenly looking very uncertain, she hesitantly reached over and placed her hand over Max's. "We've been given a lifeline, Max. A fresh start, kind of. I don't want to waste that."

"Me neither," Max agreed as she let their fingers intertwine. That was all she needed to hear.

* * *

**Streets of Seattle**

"We've been driving around for ages now," Kat whined as they circled around aimlessly on the interconnecting streets. The trail had led them to a rough estimate end location. Of course, that left them essentially lost now.

Jac lightly tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, feeling just as frustrated. "What else can we do?"

"I dunno. This is just  _really_ boring," Kat groaned as she sank back into her seat. Her patience was extremely limited.

"I have detected a new release of energy in the local area, time 09:37 am. Please wait a moment while I locate the exact coordinates," HNTR suddenly piped in, sounding pleased with this discovery.

With the new information, Kat eagerly rubbed her hands together. "Finally. It looks like our hard work is paying off."

"The new waypoint has been updated on the map. Please drive safely to the location specified," HNTR announced as the screen changed.

Both Jac and Kat leaned in to see their new destination, rolling their eyes and sighing when they saw where it was. While looking at the screen, Kat frowned. "Are you serious? We passed that area like eight times now."

"At least we're not too far away," Jac pointed out as some form of consolation.

"I guess," Kat grumbled, not sounding all that convinced.

This begrudging behavior brought a smile to Jac's lips. It was kind of cute in a way when her partner became pouty like this. "After this, we can go back home. I'll treat you to a romantic dinner with scented candles, cheesy music, and white wine."

The coaxing offer made Kat beam. "You always did know what to say to make me happy."

"I know what you like." Jac smirked confidently.

"That you do." Kat's tawny eyes zeroed in on the woman sat beside her. As if on cue, the classic soul vibes of Martin Gaye's 'Let's Get It On' began to play from HNTR's speakers.

"Jeez, HNTR. Not right now, please," Jac pleaded, feeling herself turn redder than a tomato.

Kat grinned gleefully at the ensuing chaos. "Why not? It's just harmless music."

"Exactly, Ms. Kat." HNTR couldn't sound any smugger if it tried.

"Not sure how I'm supposed to concentrate now…" Jac mumbled under her breath.

"You'll manage. That professional head of yours will take over soon enough," Kat mentioned, knowing she would get over it soon.

Throughout the entire journey, HNTR made certain to continue playing similar songs, eager to maintain the embarrassment. Kat was keen to come up with suggestions too, commenting on which they should include for their dinner date. Figuring that protests would only fuel their mischief, Jac left them to it. She couldn't help the smile that quirked at her lips. It was times like these that made all the crap she had endured up to this point worth it and she knew that Kat felt the same.

"What are you smiling at?" Kat asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.

"Can't I smile now?" Jac countered, continuing to smile as innocently as possible.

Her question only raised more suspicions. "You only smile at weird things."

"Like you," Jac immediately replied, her grin turning evil.

That answer earned her a shoulder nudge and a mildly indignant scowl. "Hey!"

Jac couldn't stifle the chuckle threatening to escape. "Kidding… maybe."

"I really hate you sometimes…" Kat muttered as she turned her head to the window and crossed her arm, adamant to give Jac the cold shoulder.

"No, you don't," the redhead stated self-assuredly.

Kat sighed resignedly, knowing that she couldn't argue with that answer. "No, I don't. That's the problem. You can get away with pretty much anything and I'm powerless to say no or stop you."

This confession inspired an amused smirk. "I don't see it as a problem."

"Of course you wouldn't," Kat sighed as she shook her head.

"I'll make it up to you later," Jac promised firmly.

Unlike some of the people in her life, Kat knew that Jac wouldn't let her down. "I'm holding you to that."

Maybe it was too much to hope that they would actually  _have_ the time to themselves. It was getting to the point where both of them would gladly risk the universe tearing itself apart so they could pause and spend some quality time together. Things had been hectic recently and something told them it wouldn't get calmer anytime soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting very close to the meeting of our dynamic duos now. This is probably the last chapter I will get out before the new year so best wishes for the start of 2017. Have a great day, stay safe and see you next time.


	4. Power

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The consequences of Max's time powers go much deeper than the destruction of Arcadia. They have taken their toll and will determine her future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I hope you are all doing well today. I have another chapter to share with you in my update rampage, so enjoy.

**Chapter Four: Power**

After breakfast, Max decided to go for a walk. She just needed to clear her head. Figuring that she would need some time alone, Chloe stayed home. Of course, she was worried about her best friend but she knew better than anyone when somebody needed time to themselves.

So much had happened over the past week and there had been very little chance to really process everything. Max had witnessed things nobody should ever have to. Chloe suspected that she hadn't even heard the half of what her friend had to go through. That was to be expected, considering how raw the memories still were.

"I'll be back soon," Max assured as she shoved her feet into her converses.

Chloe offered her a sad smile, her voice low and soft. "Okay. I'll be waiting here for when you get back."

They stood there awkwardly for a moment before she hesitantly pulled Max into a hug. It was gratefully received by the world-weary time traveler. The temptation to just remain in Chloe's arms forever was so overwhelming, to just hide from everything… but she had to at least try and get herself around somehow. That was much easier said than done, however.

Max reluctantly pulled away and left the house. There was a park nearby which would be a good place to take a stroll and clear her head. After a short walk, she made it to the park entrance. Zipping up her hoodie to protect her from the chill on the air, she began to make her way around. It was surprisingly empty, with a few joggers and dog walkers as well as some aimless wanderers like herself. Well, not  _really_  like her. She doubted any of them would've chosen between destroying their hometown and killing their best friend in their lifetime. Or would ever have to. Swallowing back the tears, she shoved her hands in her pockets and pressed on.

Suddenly, her legs turned to jelly refusing to support her weight anymore. Luckily, she managed to grab hold of a tree trunk to prop herself up before she crashed to the ground. She felt so weak and shaky, her right hand burning up and tingling. The uncomfortable sensation crawled up her arm. A surge of pain entered her mind, making her clutch at her head and scrunch up her eyes. She had hoped that this pain would stop with the storm gone but it appeared she was wrong. Her body curled in on itself as she sank to the grass in a vain attempt to alleviate the strain.

"Must be some junkie…" The muttered comment from a passer-by reached her but she was too busy battling with the pain and nausea to react.

Eventually, the sharp ache subsided. She didn't dare move for the longest time, afraid she would aggravate the pain. Maybe this was just the aftermath of her power usage. She had no idea what damage she had done to herself messing with time. All those nosebleeds and passing out were indication enough that her body hadn't been able to cope. A week had been too short to allow her body to adjust. She'd tried to run a marathon right off the bat without the gradual training.

Her right hand still throbbed as she sat there, her back pressed against the gnarled tree trunk to keep her supported. When she trusted her body again, she used the tree to help herself up. Figuring it was time to head back before she had another one of these episodes, Max slowly retraced her steps. She would call Chloe but she didn't want to worry her unnecessarily. If it happened again then maybe she would say something. For all she knew, this could be a one-time thing. They had enough to worry about without adding more to the list.

Somehow she made her way back without collapsing again. It almost felt like she had a hangover, not that she'd had many of those. Before entering the house, she straightened herself up and took a deep breath. It didn't do her much good but she had tried at least.

Almost the second she stepped over the threshold Chloe wandered out into the hallway with a relieved smile on her face, one that soon faded when she saw how pale Max was. Paler than usual and that was saying something.

"Max, are you okay? No offense but you look like shit," she observed worriedly, her expression turning more serious.

"Y-yeah," Max replied hesitantly.

That answer didn't sit well with Chloe at all, her voice verging on angry. "Don't lie to me, Max. Not after everything we've been through."

Unable to directly lie, Max sighed and gave in. "Okay… okay. When I was out I suddenly felt a lot of pain and I collapsed. I'm fine now, though. It was more of a shock than anything." It had been  _more_  than a shock if she was honest.

"Because of your powers?" Chloe asked, the anxiety in her voice rising.

"That's the only explanation I can think of. I mean, my body's been rejecting my power ever since I got it," Max agreed, running out of fingers to count the number of time travel induced nosebleeds she'd experienced over the week.

"But you haven't used it since…" Chloe pause mid-sentence, the events of Arcadia Bay still too fresh in her mind to reference aloud, "…a while ago."

"I may have used it once, recently," Max reluctantly admitted. She just couldn't bring herself to hide things anymore. That was  _not_ how she wanted to do things from now on. One hidden truth would turn into countless lies.

This confession understandably confused the bluenette. "Wait… why?"

"Look, I wasn't going to tell you because it didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Then you said you didn't want me rewinding on you after I'd done it and… it made me feel bad." The excuses tumbled from Max's lips, each sounding more pathetic than the last. She wanted to kick herself for a) bringing this up in the first place and b) doing such a poor job of it.

"Max, tell me." This was a demand, not a request. It was only fair to abide. If this was going to work, they both needed to trust one another and not just run away when things became uncertain.

"Remember when you almost walked on me in the bathroom," Max began, already struggling to find the right words.

"Yes," Chloe confirmed hesitantly, watching her best friend's every move like a hawk.

All this was embarrassing to explain, especially considering the topic. Max had committed herself to this path, though. There was no looking back. "Well, the first time you did. My rewind was a reflex action. It just… happened."

Chloe was quiet for a while, letting what Max had told her sink in. Her face cycled through so many different expressions, from confusion to embarrassment to confliction. "I guess it makes sense how you managed to stop me in time."

Max exhaled deeply, steadying her nerve. "Yeah… After everything, it's difficult not to just instinctively rely on my powers to get me out of unexpected, potentially awkward, situations." She finally plucked up the courage to look directly at Chloe, who still wasn't giving anything away. Anything to break this awkward stalemate and honest was the best policy, or so they said. "You know, part of me kind of regrets rewinding."

"Because of the collapsing?" This might be the most logical explanation - and in part that was the reason - but it wasn't the main reason Max regretted rewinding.

"No." She shook her head to strengthen her answer. If she had responded any other way, she would have been lying both to Chloe and herself; the two very people who didn't deserve it.

"Then why?" The gentle prompting made Max feel even more nervous.

"Because…" She could feel her resolve waning by the second. The words she wanted to say were right on the tip of her tongue. She just couldn't verbalize them. "Never mind."

The expression on her best friend's face changed then, from stoic to determined. She took a confident step forward, backing Max against the nearest wall in the hallway so she couldn't run away. "Oh no Maxine Caulfield, I'm  _not_  letting you wriggle your way out of this one. You'd better tell me or I'll find a way to get it out of you."

Maybe in another situation, Max would have been giddy about being pinned against the wall by the woman she loved with all her heart and soul. Not this time. It made her feel even less secure and anxious. What's more, it was so tempting to just stand on her tiptoes and steal a kiss from this close… but that might not end well. Maybe she could do it and rewind if…

_No_. That way she would already be breaking her promise. The idea was to decide on a choice and stick with the consequences. No more running away.

The intensity of Chloe's gaze made her throat go dry. She swallowed hard, steeling herself for this discussion. "I guess it would have made us talk about… stuff or something."

"Stuff?" the bluenette asked cautiously, uncertain as to where Max was going with this. Her once determined expression faded to something much more hesitant.

It was too late to look back now. Max had started this so she may as well end it, put them both out of their misery. "About… us. It never seems like the right time. Maybe it never will be…"

"Max, I…" Chloe's words were interrupted by a loud knock at the door.

The pair of them looked over to the door, remaining silent. Maybe if they just ignored it, whoever it was would go away. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. They exchanged glances, with Chloe making sure Max understood this was not over before she let her off the wall. Without saying a word, Chloe wandered off back to the kitchen. Max straightened herself out and opened the door a fraction.

Before her were two women in official looking suits. The one on the right was short and curvy with dark hair, soft tawny eyes, and deep mocha skin. Her fellow… whatever they were, was pale and tall, with red hair and almond-shaped gray eyes. When they noticed the door had opened they both smiled at her. The shorter woman's smile was much more open and inviting than the reserved quirk from the taller of the pair.

Max didn't return their smiles, instead getting straight to business. "Can I help you?"

The taller woman nodded, her gray eyes zeroing in on Max's blue ones. "You can, actually. May we come in?"

There was no way in hell she was going to let a couple of strangers just enter her house without good reason. She folded her arms, using her body to firmly block the doorway as well as wedging her foot behind the door, just in case. "Who are you first?"

The shorter woman pulled something out from her pocket, swiftly followed by her companion. They passed them over to Max without hesitation. Apparently, these were ID cards for some kind of governmental agents. The pictures seemed to match up and all the other data presented on the card seemed plausible. According to the cards, the taller woman's name was Jacqueline Holt and the shorter of the pair Kaitlynn Roscoe.

"We really would appreciate your co-operation in this," Kaitlynn gently insisted, sounding polite and friendly.

Max reluctantly stepped aside to let the two women in. She had no idea why government lackeys would be visiting her house but had little choice other than to let them in. If she refused, they may come back with force. Worst case scenario, she could just rewind… although that possibility didn't seem very appealing right now.

They followed her into the dining area where Chloe was currently sat. She frowned questioningly when she saw the two women behind her friend. At Max's prompting, they sat down at the table.

Before they could ask any questions, she offered up a forced smile. "Can I get you anything to drink?"

Kaitlynn's smile returned when she heard the offer. "I wouldn't mind some tea, if you have some. White, strong with one sugar."

"The same, please," Jacqueline stiffly replied, her eyes never leaving the young time traveler's for a second.

"Coming right up." Max eagerly grabbed onto Chloe's arm as she passed, dragging her into the kitchen with surprising force.

As she flipped on the kettle, the noise helpfully providing a sound screen, Chloe gave her a hesitant look. "Max, who are these people?"

"From the government, apparently," she clarified while retrieving a few mugs from the cupboard.

This new information made her friend frown. "What?"

With four cups of tea on the go, Max simply shrugged. "Makes about as much sense to me as it does to you."

"What if they caught wind of your powers and are here to lock you up in a dog crate and run horrific tests on you until you escape and exact your revenge?" Chloe suggested only half-jokingly.

Max raised one eyebrow with amused skepticism. "I think you've been watching too many TV shows."

Chloe stuck her tongue out before her expression turned serious again. "Why else would they be here?"

That particular question had yet to be answered. "I… don't know."

"All I'm saying is we have to be careful. No way am I letting some power crazed scientists get their hands on you. That's  _my_ job." Chloe reached out and took Max's hand in hers, squeezing lightly. Her eyes flickered with protective resolve. Max had saved her so many times over the week. If she could return the favor, she would.

All Max could manage was a weak nod in response. She felt like crying now, especially because of Chloe's display of protectiveness and just… everything. They really needed to talk about what had happened to them and soon. Before they both broke down from the stress, never to be sane again. Well, as sane as they could be after all the crazy shit that had gone down.

Once the tea was ready Chloe and Max brought the mugs through, placing them on the table. They were received with thanks as the two friends sat down opposite the strangers. When they were all settled, the real conversation began.

"My name is Detective Jacqueline Holt, Jac if you prefer. This is my partner Detective Kaitlynn Roscoe, Kat for short." Jac motioned towards the woman sat beside her, who nodded at the mention of her name.

Max sized them up, her expression stoic and eyes steely. Until she knew their purpose for being here, and even after that, she needed to be on guard. In her time traveling journeys, she had learned that trust should not be given freely. "Max."

The pair picked up on her resistance to introducing the other woman in the room and divulging her own surname. Not that it mattered. They already knew the identities of the people before them thanks to HNTR. The main person of interest in their case was the shorter girl with pale freckled skin and mid-length brown hair, Maxine Caulfield. She sure as hell didn't look like someone with enough power to make the world bow, but people like them rarely did.

Ever since they had made it to their specific location in Seattle, they'd been keeping a close eye on the house, making sure to tail anybody who left. Patience was key to ensuring they had the right person. It would be very awkward otherwise and require unnecessary clean-up.

Earlier, Max had left the house and Jac had been the one to tail her. The energy levels surrounding her had been off the chart at times, not to mention her worrying collapse halfway around the nearby park. There was no denying she was the target of their investigations. It would look suspicious if they already knew names, though. For now, it was safer to feign ignorance.

"And what's your name?" Kat asked as a polite gesture while looking at the other woman in the room.

Max tensed at the question, staring daggers at Kat for even daring to ask. There was an almost murderous intent to her glare. It was surprisingly threatening.

"Chloe," the bluenette offered, keeping her answer short just as her friend had.

With the frankly awkward introductions out of the way, Jac turned the conversation to their reason for coming here. "Max, we have something to discuss with you in particular."

For now, it was best for Max to play dumb. "What's that?"

"We know about your… special skill. Let's put it that way," Kat explained vaguely.

To prolong her time, Max took a long sip of her tea before responding. If these two thought she would openly divulge information on herself then they were  _really_ mistaken. "I don't follow."

Jac blew on her drink, watching the steam swirl in the air before her. "I understand your caution, but there is no need to worry."

"A couple of uninvited 'government agents' coming to my house is enough to make me on edge," Max pointed out, trying to sound as calm as possible.

Kat offered a reassuring smile. "We're like you, Max. Maybe not  _exactly_  the same, but close."

"Don't speak too soon Kat," the other woman whispered in Max's ear, seeming to have teleported from her seat on the opposite side of the table.

Max jumped from the unexpected proximity, knocking a cup from the table. Instead of falling straight to the ground and shattering into a million pieces, it was suspended in mid-air. Kat casually stood up and took the mug by its handle before casually placing it back on the table. Both women sat down again in their respective seats, acting as if nothing had happened.

Max and Chloe were speechless, trying to process what they had just seen. They had just assumed that the brunette was the only one with powers. Thinking back, maybe that had been short-sighted. If there was one high school time traveler around, chances were there would be more out there.

"So, you really are… different," Max finally managed, trying to get her head around what had just happened.

It couldn't be a trick… could it? No, she had sensed a strange energy radiating from both of them when it had happened… one she kind of recognized from her own power usage, but stronger and much more concentrated. Maybe having time powers herself made her more perceptive to others who had them too. Besides, it would be a tough trick to pull off without some kind of otherworldly power.

The once tense atmosphere faded almost instantly with the incredulous statement. Kat rested her chin on her hand, smirking lightly. "Oh, did you think you were the only one? Cute."

Jac shook her head at the teasing comment. "Don't patronize the poor girl. Do excuse my colleague."

The mild disapproval made Kat's face scrunch up. "Ouch, you could have at least said friend."

"When you learn some manners I might," Jac stated, the hint of a smile on her lips.

"You're too cruel," Kat mumbled, all professionalism out of the window now.

Jac ignored her partner for now. They had more important things to worry about than indulging in playful teasing… as tempting as it was. "Just think of us as a supernatural FBI with private funding."

Unwilling to give up, Kat grinned cheekily. "Who you gonna call?"

This earned her a groan. "Kat, that wasn't funny the first time so it won't be the tenth or the hundredth or… however many times you insist on saying it. Constantly referencing Ghostbusters isn't getting you anywhere."

"Tough crowd," she muttered under her breath.

Focusing back on the task at hand, Jac turned her attention back to Max. "We would like you to join us."

Max didn't quite know what to make of Kat and Jac. It was difficult to really get to know someone from a quick conversation like this. So far they didn't give off a particularly bad vibe or anything. Not that she trusted them… or her own gut instincts after the whole Jefferson incident. After everything she'd been through, it was hard to trust anyone. Other than Chloe. Still, she decided to give them a chance. They seemed to know about her powers anyway, so denying it would be redundant.

"But my powers just make everything worse…" the young time traveler pointed out, her brow furrowing as images of Arcadia being swallowed up by the storm flickered through her mind.

"Only because you didn't know what you were doing," Kat's expression turned very solemn, not fitting in with what Max and Chloe had seen of her personality so far. "There are many people out there ready to exploit your raw potential without a single care for the consequences. We don't want that repeated if we can help it."

Jac glanced over at Kat worriedly, finding her hand under the table and giving it a light squeeze. She hated seeing her like this, her brown eyes flickering with bitterness and fear. "Under our guidance, you can learn to control your power, not the other way around. I'm sure you must be realizing now that you have unleashed something greater than your body can handle. In order to prevent… accidents, you must learn. We will take you to a special location where you shall train in your powers. Housing and other essentials will be provided for you."

Max's mind wandered back to her collapse earlier, fairly confident that it was related to her powers. If there was a way to limit the aftermath of her ordeals and prevent destruction in the future both for the world around her and herself, maybe she should take it.

She was tired. Tired of running and hiding. Tired of the guilt. Tired of… everything.

"What would I say to my parents?" she asked, curious to see what their answer would be.

Kat seemed to snap back to reality then, squeezing Jac's hand back. "We have you covered on that. Our cover-up is that we're part of a governmental charity program to give students in America affected by disaster the chance to continue their studies at one of our special schools. Scholarship included."

They really had prepared. Truth be told, Max was scared of her powers. They had screwed her over so many times that she didn't trust them. If there was even a minuscule possibility that she could learn how to use them, control the power before it destroyed her and everything around her, then maybe she should risk it. She doubted she would have much choice in the matter anyway. Kat and Jac were making all this seem like it was her choice whether she agreed or not, but was that really the case? Surely, they wouldn't let someone like her stroll around unchecked after… what she had done.

Even if this turned out to be a bad move, she could just bust out her rewind to get her and Chloe the hell out of there. Speaking of Chloe, there was one small wrinkle in this path. Would she be able to come with her?

Deciding to test her luck, Max cleared her throat and tried to sound as firm as her normally soft-spoken voice would allow. " _If_  I'm going to accept this, and that's a big if, there is one condition."

"Name it," Kat said without hesitation, curiosity entering her tawny eyes.

"Chloe comes with me. End of." This was not a request. Max wouldn't be going anywhere without her. No way in hell.

Jac and Kat exchanged meaningful glances, deciding on an answer solely through non-verbal means. Even from the short amount of time they had spoken, it was obvious that Max and Chloe were close by the way they looked and acted around one another. Just how close… they had no way of really knowing, but that didn't matter. It wouldn't be fair to tear them apart by force when there was no need. Both Jac and Kat had fought hard to remain by each other's side and they weren't about to impose that hell on someone else. All their order had said was to find and retrieve the newly discovered time traveler. How they did that was entirely their prerogative.

It was Jac who responded to the demand. "If that is what will get you to come with us, then we cordially extend our offer to Chloe as well. For everyone's sake, including your own, it would be wise to accept. The sooner the better."

Max threw a glance Chloe's way, hoping that she might weigh in with an opinion. At the end of the day, they both had to agree to this.

After their eyes met, she knew what Chloe was going to say even before she had said it. "I've just started to get used to your overwhelming hipster nerdiness and bad puns again. I didn't put all that work in to get separated now. We're getting through this together, remember? No matter what."

Yet another decision she had to make. There was no way she would be able to predict the outcome of this. Seeing into the future was not included as a bonus with her time powers, unfortunately. She just had to go with her gut instinct.

"Can I take a couple of days to think it over?"

Kat's expression softened slightly. "Of course. We'll be back then. Just don't think about skipping town anytime soon. As tempting as it may sound at this point."

Once that business had been taken care of Kat and Jac left, promising to return very soon. As Max and Chloe watched the two women leave, they began to wonder just what life had in store for them next. Whatever happened, they would be doing it together. That was the only thing they knew for certain. The rest… they would have to wait and see.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will Max and Chloe cope with this new development? Find out next time.


	5. Decision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Max and Chloe have a big decision to make… one with uncertain consequences, as usual.

**Chapter Five: Decision**

Once alone, a heavy silence passed between Max and Chloe. Both girls were trying desperately to get their heads around the past week or so. First, their explosive reunion almost ending in tragedy. God-like powers triggered, used over and over to get that perfect end which would never exist. Finding Rachel Amber… or what was left of her. Mark Jefferson, the storm and now this?

However much they wanted peace, it seemed beyond their reach. Always something demanding their time.

Chloe sighed as she leaned against the table. "So much for that road trip…"

Foolishly, she had hoped that with the storm and… everything out of the way, they could finally lead a semi-normal life. It would never be the same as before and maybe she didn't want it to be. Not completely.

Max remained silent, nodding to show she was listening. Honestly, part of her had prayed her powers would disappear after Friday. Clearly, that wasn't the case. She was stuck with them, maybe for the rest of her life. So much for normalcy.

Being around people like her may be a benefit… or a huge mistake. Another one to add to the ever-growing list. Like she had much choice. They wouldn't let her roam around, not after what her power had done. What  _she_ had done.

Chloe noticed her friend's lack of response and wondered what she was thinking. It was getting harder to tell with each passing day. Max used to be an open book, unable to hide anything. Now…

"So, how do you want to handle this?" she asked hesitantly, certain Max would be considering her options.

Dragged back to reality, the brunette gave Chloe all the attention she deserved. What happened next concerned them both. "Way I see it, we have two options. One: we follow their plan. Or two: we run. If they tracked us down once, they could probably do it again. Something tells me the next 'meeting' won't be so friendly. And it's not like we have the money to make a clean break. Yet."

As much as Max hated admitting it, she had considered certain… possibilities to get money. All involved questionable morals and her power. Maybe if things became desperate, if they  _really_ needed to escape. Until then, she would avoid borderline criminal activity and/or cheating. That just wasn't her style. Still, it was something to consider. Crime versus involuntary imprisonment, gruesome experiments and/or death… the choice was clear.

"It's always about fucking money," the bluenette grumbled to herself. "So what? We just wait around until they come back?"

Her frustration was totally understandable. Max felt the same way, but running wasn't the logical option. It would piss people off, increase their chance of becoming nothing but prisoners.

The brunette gathered the cups together, dumping them in the sink and turning on the hot water. She should at least try to get some chores done. A good distraction. "There's not really anything else we can do. Personally, I don't feel up for the fugitive lifestyle just yet."

Realizing what Max was doing, Chloe made her way over to help. They needed to talk this through and she didn't want her best friend trying to avoid the topic. "Better a fugitive than a prisoner."

After sighing deeply and swirling the soapy water around for a few seconds, Max began washing the used cups and dishes on the side. "I'm just… tired. After everything, I don't have the energy to fight. Unless I  _really_ have to."

Chloe took the cup she was handed, drying it in silence. Of course Max was exhausted, mentally and physically. "I get it, Max. Kind of. Like I've said before, I'm with you whatever you decide. I just… don't want this to backfire on us."

Max glanced up from the sink, blue eyes meeting. "Neither do I, but we don't have a lot of options right now. If this doesn't work out, I won't stick around waiting for it to get worse. Trust me." She let out a soft sigh. "To tell you the truth, I'm… really scared of my power. So, if there's a chance I can learn to control it…"

She didn't have to say anymore. Chloe nodded slowly, returning the dry items back to their place with some instruction. "You're not stupid, Max. I know you'll consider everything and pick the best option for you."

"For us," Max corrected firmly.

Every decision she made affected them both. Whichever option kept them together and safe, that was their only choice.

"Right, we're a team. Just like always," the bluenette stated, reaffirming that for both their sakes.

Finished with the small mountain of dirty dishes, Max dried off her hands and looked directly into her friend's eyes with all the conviction she could muster. "Chloe whatever happens, I am not leaving you."

A mischievous glint flickered in Chloe's eyes. "Damn, just when I thought I was finally getting rid of you… Joking aside, I'm not leaving you either." The seriousness of her tone quickly faded in favor of humor. Her expression hardened as she performed her best Mr. T impression. "And I pity the fool who tries to tear us apart."

"Oh man, you are such a dork," the young time traveler chuckled, throwing all the dirty laundry into the washing machine.

"Says the Grand High dork herself," Chloe countered playfully, grabbing the bag out of the trash can in the corner.

"So, you admit that I'm a higher rank than you in something for once," Max called after her as she took the trash outside.

When Chloe returned, she offered a wide grin. "Consider it an act of good faith from your hella cool and benevolent captain."

Deciding to continue the playful banter, Max allowed herself a small smile. "What perks do I get from my new promotion exactly?"

The bluenette stroked her chin, contemplating the question in great depth. "You get to make all the bad puns you can possibly think of and I won't even roll my eyes at you… all the time, anyway."

That agreement was surprisingly amicable for someone as stubborn as Chloe Price. "Do I get to dish out pun-ishments if you abuse the eye rolling loophole?"

"If that was a thinly veiled attempt at a pun, consider this my first eye roll." To demonstrate her point, she performed the said eye roll. "And it depends on the penalty."

Unable to help herself, Max stifled a grin. "Don't you mean pun-alty."

Chloe stared at her with a blank expression, the twitch at the corner of her lips betraying the mock disapproval. "I'm starting to regret my decision…"

"It's too late now. No takebacks!" the brunette exclaimed gleefully, totally loving this new power.

Blue eyes narrowed suspiciously at the vague reply. "Are you inciting a potential mutiny, Caulfield? Threatening to go against your captain's potential wishes like that."

The accusation brought a smile to her lips. "Maybe I am… and maybe I'm not."

"I'm not afraid to make ye walk the plank, filthy landlubber," Chloe roared in outrage, putting on her best - or maybe worst - pirate accent. Whichever way you wanted to look at it.

"Ye'll have to catch me first!"

Without another word, Max shot off into the lounge. She didn't get far before the bluenette bowled into her and pinned her to the couch. Her competitive streak always had been a bit excessive. Before Max could do or say anything, Chloe began to tickle her relentlessly. Even after five years apart, she still knew all the sensitive spots.

"Ah, C-Chloe… St-stop," she begged through giggles.

Chloe paused for a moment, letting her friend catch her breath. "Not until ye submit!"

It was then she realized just how close they were… and remembered their previously interrupted conversation. Enough to make her falter. She could make a pretty good guess at what Max had been about to say back then. In the moment, it had been easy to press her for more information, but now…

Sensing the hesitation, Max scanned the punk's expression to figure out what she was thinking. It was rare to see Chloe Price so uncertain of herself. The way the bluenette was looking at her, intense unwavering attention, made her feel nervous. Not necessarily in a bad way.

She wanted to say… something right now, but words failed her. Like she'd suddenly forgotten how to speak. There were so many things she wanted, no  _needed_ to say, but… they didn't translate from thought to speech.

After a prolonged silence, Chloe opened her mouth to say something. The words got caught in her throat. Very few people made her this… hesitant. Rachel had been one of them, Max the other.

How much would change between them from now? Did they still really know each other anymore? Were they rushing into something that was doomed to fail? If things didn't work out, then what? Would it break them beyond repair?

All these doubts rushed to the forefront of her mind, making it harder and harder to say the words that needed to be voiced.

Instead of speaking her mind, Chloe cleared her throat and glanced away shyly. "Maybe I took the joke a bit too far…"

Or not far enough.

That was that Max thought but just couldn't bring herself to say. If only she wasn't so shy or scared of change. Whichever way she looked at it, leaving questions unanswered was  _much_ scarier. The more she avoided it, the harder it would get to bring it up. Then, they would get stuck in a rut of not questioning forever.

It was so tempting to say it all and rewind if she messed up. That mindset wouldn't solve anything, though. She couldn't keep rely on her powers like that. Close to addiction territory already and the consequences were getting worse. Besides, it would be pretty insulting to Chloe. She just had to work up the courage and not look back.

Now the moment had passed, Chloe mover to get up. Something stopped her. Confused, she glanced down at Max, who had a hand firmly clamped on her wrist. A subtle shake, eyes hidden by her fringe.

"Can we just… stay like this for a bit?" Max pleaded softly, not trusting her voice much.

Chloe's expression softened at the strained calm. She didn't know what else to do other than comply. "Sure we can."

Somehow, they managed to position themselves so they fit on the couch without the risk of falling. Chloe looped her arm around Max's shoulder, drawing her closer. The brunette rested her head on her friend's shoulder, trying desperately to stay strong… and failing. It had to catch up with her eventually. Now seemed to be that time.

Chloe felt something wet on her neck. It took her a moment to realize just what it was. When she did, she just couldn't pretend that she hadn't noticed. "Max, you're crying…"

With some coaxing, she got the shorter girl to look at her. Her heart dropped at the watery blue eyes full of emotion. Taking her thumb, she gently wiped away a tear. As much as she didn't want to see Max cry, maybe this was a good thing. Keeping everything bottled up wasn't healthy… she knew that much from experience.

"Am I?" Max sniffled, trying to keep her voice steady. "Didn't notice."

Trying to lighten the mood a bit, Chloe lightly nudged her shoulder, "I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not." She could feel the familiar sting in her own eyes and the lump in her throat as she laid there, listening to Max's stifled tears. "Look, let it all out, okay. You probably haven't had much time to cry so if you need to, do it. Hell, I might even join you."

Max let out a flat laugh as tears rolled down her checks. "The great and fearless Chloe Price crying… I don't think so."

"It'd only be to make you feel better, of course." Chloe's voice wavered, close to tears herself. Seeing Max cry was more than she could handle right now. "Max, I'm… really sorry about what you had to go through… because of me…" She was stopped halfway through her apology with a finger on her lips.

There was no need for Chloe to apologize, but Max could understand why she said it. The same reason she blamed herself. Someone needed to remind them it wasn't their fault. Even if they had to do it themselves.

"Stop. It's not your fault. It never has been and it never will be."

The contact had surprised Chloe. Part of her thought… more like hoped, that it would be something other than Max's finger on her lips. Maybe if she could just bring herself to talk about things instead of running away… it would be more than wishful thinking.

She let out a sigh. "I think we deserve an apology from someone for all this shit. If we don't say it, who will?"

It would be nice for someone out there to tell Max she had done the right thing. Or at least, what she'd had to do. That was Chloe's job now, it seemed. As much as it was her job to return the favor.

Snuggling up closer, she took a deep breath. "Then, I'm sorry too. But, I'm also grateful. As terrible as all this has been, it brought us back together."

"Yeah, otherwise… we might not have actually seen each other again," the bluenette pointed out with sad resignation.

As painful as it was to bring up her own death in the other timeline, it was true. Had it not been for Max, that would have been it. She'd have died, thinking nobody gave a shit. And she would've been wrong.

"I'd have preferred a less explosive reunion… but it's better than nothing," Max agreed, feeling a pang of sadness at the memory.

To take her mind off it, Chloe reverted to humor again. "What, you'd have been happy with some hella boring coffee date or something? Lame. A near death experience is a much more exciting reunion plan."

"Date, huh?" Max had pointed out the wording before she even realized it.

The question caught Chloe off guard, making her hesitate for just a second. When she responded, she did so with hesitant hopefulness. "Maybe…"

Taking that as a good sign, Max looked up at her friend. "Maybe I wouldn't have minded that."

Chloe's mind whirred with so many possible implications and scenarios. It took a full minute for her to manage a semi-coherent sentence. "You're… something else, Caulfield."

"Something good, right?" Max pressed, taking full advantage of her temporary lapse in biting wit and sarcasm.

"Oh, I never said that…" The bluenette grinned, trying to re-direct the attention back to Max again. It was much easier to joke around like this than be honest… unfortunately.

Max pouted and hit her lightly before snuggling back up. While there hadn't been any definitive answers, maybe she felt a bit more confident in herself. Next time this came up, maybe she'd be ready to talk more about her and Chloe. That much she promised herself as she felt her eyelids growing heavier.

As for Chloe, she watched her friend slowly fall asleep. She must be catching up on at least a week's worth of sleep, if not more. It wasn't the first time she had been this close to Max, but it did feel different from their childhood sleepovers for so many reasons.

"You  _are_  something good, Max," she whispered, placing a tentative kiss on Max's forehead.

Chloe kind of hoped that she would wake up and force the situation, but needless to say she remained still and unresponsive. Once she got everything straight in her head, she would talk to her friend about… everything. Until then, they had some hurdles to overcome.

When Ryan and Vanessa Caulfield returned home from work that day, they stumbled across the pair passed out on the couch. Not having the heart to wake them, they covered them with a blanket to stop them from getting cold and left them alone. They clearly needed the rest.

* * *

**Streets of Seattle**

As they drove away from the house, Kat and Jac remained silent. There was a lot to prepare over the next couple of days and a ton of paperwork to fill out. That was not a particularly happy thought for either of them. There would be even more if Max and Chloe decided to take a hike, which was still a distinct possibility.

Hopefully, things would run smoothly… for once.

"Well, that could have gone worse." Kat finally spoke up, stretching her arms above her head. Her joints clicked loudly as she rolled her shoulders.

"Maybe it went a little  _too_  well," Jac added, drumming her fingers lightly on the steering wheel. "It wouldn't be the first time… or the last, I bet."

That possibility had crossed her partner's mind as well. "You think they might try to run?"

As much as Jac would like an easy mission this time, things always managed to become complicated. "I wouldn't blame them. Not that it would do them much good. We can't let someone with that much power run around untrained. We've seen where that can lead."

"Lived it, in some cases," Kat muttered, her expression distant as she stared out of the window. "Hopefully, Max won't have to learn that the hard way. More than she already has, anyway."

Jac frowned lightly at her partner's expression. "If she comes with us willingly, we can protect her. If not…"

"We find her before someone else does. Or before she destroys herself." The end of this sentence was lost to silence.

"One way or another, we'll manage. We always do," Jac reassured her.

Kat didn't act like this often but when she did, it hit hard. Underneath all the jovial, bubbly humor was something much darker and consuming. Even after all these years, it remained there in the background just waiting for an opportunity to take over. After what she had been through to get to this point, it was no wonder.

Like a switch had been flipped, Kat's smile suddenly returned. "Hey, optimism is my shtick. I'm seriously worried, though."

Jac nodded, completely understanding her concern. There were so many dangers for people like them and not just from their powers. The risk other people posed was just as dangerous. "I know, so am I. We'll keep a close eye on everything."

"I just hope that'll be enough," Kat mumbled as she watched the scenery whiz past her eyes through the glass.

Maybe, just maybe, something would go right for a change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will the future hold for Max and Chloe? Stay tuned to find out and have an awesome day.


	6. Initiation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Having made their decision, Max and Chloe are about to enter a whole new world. One very few have experienced.

**Chapter Six: Initiation**

**Three days later – Nevada**

It had been several days since Kat and Jac first met Max and Chloe. In that time, much had been prepared to ensure their seamless induction into the governmental program. The two agents had picked them up earlier today. While Max's parents were hesitant at first, they ultimately left the decision to their daughter. When it came down to it, Max had decided to formally accept the offer.

Now, they were on their way to the research facility. They had been driving for a while now, very close to their destination. On the way, they had stopped for food and to stretch. Now Max and Chloe had been located, there was no rush.

In the distance, they could see a building surrounded by a seemingly impenetrable fence. As they approached closer, watchtowers and various guards were visible to keep out uninvited guests. Nothing too major but enough to deter. Several cameras were dotted around to ensure maximum omnipresence. There must be all kinds of hidden defenses too if this was an important governmental facility.

Jac scanned her ID card as they approached the barrier, the guard nodding and letting them through. After parking up, the four women stepped out of the car and made their way towards the entrance. It was an impressive and overbearing building. Max couldn't help but feel anxious. As if she were signing away her freedom. Hopefully, that wouldn't be the case. They continued on in silence inside after the various security checks.

Kat finally spoke once they entered the reception area. "Welcome to the HAWKE Initiative's Western Division. Named after its founder, aka our boss Erin Hawke. You'll learn more about her and the initiative itself later. She's out of town at the minute. Since there's already a lot of ecological concern in the area, we use that as cover for our operations."

"We don't want… unnecessary attention," Jac added, glancing over at the two girls who were looking around in awe.

They had never seen anything quite like it before. No expense had been spared ensuring security and professionalism. After walking along various hallways and taking an elevator down to the third floor, they approach a room labeled 'Medical Bay'. They all piled into the room, letting the door shut behind them.

"Quinn, are you here?" Kat called out.

"Of course I am. Where else would I be, Kitty Kat?" The voice had a distinctive Irish intonation to it.

A few seconds later, a small man with short ginger hair and a beard appeared, his brown eyes intelligent and sharp. He wore a white coat over his blue scrubs, looking all the part the medical professional. His eyes flickered over to the other senior agent in the room. "Oh, and look who's with her. Jac-in-a-box. What a surprise."

"You know, nicknames are  _supposed_ to be shorter by tradition," Jac pointed out, rolling her eyes in an over-exaggerated manner.

"When I think up a better one, I'll let you know," he promised, clearly eager for a challenge.

There was a calculated pause before she spoke again. "...on second thoughts, maybe I shouldn't complain. It could be much worse…"

"Much  _better,_ you mean," Quinn corrected with a gleeful grin. It was then that he noticed the two strangers in his med bay. "Now, who do we have here?"

"New additions to the family, Max and Chloe." Jac motioned towards each girl respectively, stepping aside so he could get a better look at them.

"Well, on behalf of us all, I welcome both of you with open arms. If you haven't heard already, my name is Quinn Whalen. I'm the head medic and unofficial advice giver/counselor around here." He gave a courteous bow to all present. "So, are you both powered up?"

"Just me," Max divulged, still feeling weird admitting her powers out loud to strangers after keeping quiet for so long.

He seemed mildly surprised by this. "Interesting… they don't usually let outsiders in."

"Guess I'm the exception," Chloe pointed out, her voice filled with defensive challenge.

"It seems so. Don't get me wrong, I'm always happy to see new faces," Quinn was quick to add, not wanting Chloe to think he was against her presence. "Especially someone without powers, like me. It can get a bit overwhelming sometimes."

"We're always getting one up on you," Kat gleefully pointed out with an evil grin.

This made Quinn roll his eyes. "That you are. Anyway, I'm sure you're not here to hear me chattering away."

"We just need a routine health check-up for you, Max. And of course, Chloe if she needs it," Jac answered, concerned for their newest addition to the team.

Powers like that could really mess you up if left unchecked. They had to assess the damage.

"I'm fine. Max is the one who needs it," Chloe swiftly corrected, her eyes zeroing in on Max.

She felt very nervous all of a sudden and wanted to stay beside her best friend during this difficult time. If she left Max's side, who knew what they would do to her behind closed doors.

"We'll wait outside for you." Kat motioned towards the door with her head.

"I'll stay if that's okay," Chloe announced, staying put. Although her words were framed as a request, they were very clearly a demand nobody could refuse.

Quinn's expression softened, his eyes full of gentle understanding. These two had probably been to hell and back, so it was only natural that they would want to keep a close eye on each other. "Of course. We'll just run a few quick health checks, nothing too strenuous or invasive. It's been a while since I've had an audience, so this should be exciting."

Jac and Kat took their leave as he gathered together his equipment, instructing Max to lay down on one of the raised medical beds while he prepared. As she sat down, the brunette shrugged off her worn hoodie before laying down. Chloe took her place nearby, leaning against the closest wall and keeping a watchful eye.

When Quinn returned, he began to get to work. He was very respectful and professional, explaining what he was going to do and checking Max was okay with it each time. Many of his patients had been through so much. It was only polite to ensure their wellbeing and consent.

"So, where are you from originally? I'll assume America, but where exactly?" Quinn asked to make some small talk as he carried out the medical check-up.

He shone a concentrated light in her blue eyes, checking for responsiveness. A small sigh of relief escaped him when her pupils constricted as expected.

"Oregon," Max finally answered after some hesitation, feeling her stomach drop at the thought of Arcadia.

"I… see."

Quinn had heard about the tornado that ripped through a small town along the Pacific Coast. Judging from Max's response, it probably had something to do with her. Extreme weather conditions and untrained powers, time travel in particular, seemed to go hand in hand. He regretted bringing it up now.

To break the tense atmosphere and distract herself, Max returned the question. "How about you?"

"They flew me in from the Irish branch a few years back. As you can imagine, there are more cases that need my attention here," Quinn revealed as he began to check Max's resting heart rate. It was more elevated than he would expect, probably from the prolonged strain of her powers. And nerves. It was normal for those he checked over nowadays. "I'm just going to take a blood sample. It may sting a little." At the sight of the needle, Max froze up. Instead of just jabbing her straight away, he paused. "You okay, Max?"

"Y-yeah. I'm just… kind of freaked out by needles." After Jefferson's handiwork, how could she not be?

"We can try again another time if you're not comfortable," he suggested sympathetically, knowing that a lot of people hated the thought of needles. To be honest, he couldn't blame them.

"I can handle it." Unfortunately for Max, that didn't come out quite as confidently as she had hoped.

Immediately seeing through the bravado, he motioned for the bluenette leaning against the wall to come closer. "Chloe, why don't you come over here?"

She seemed surprised by the direct request. "Me?"

"Is there anyone else here?" Quinn paused, thoughtful. "Well, they  _could_ be. I've have a few people with chameleon like abilities in her before."

Chloe shrugged and walked over to the bed. Almost on instinct, her hand found Max's to reassure her. He offered her an appreciative smile before turning back to his patient. As gently and quickly as he could, he inserted the needle into her arm and drew enough blood to fill it.

Once the needle had been removed, he placed a cotton pad on her arm and taped it to stem the bleeding. "You did good, kid."

"Thanks…" Max mumbled, her face pale and throat dry.

At least it hadn't been her neck. She  _definitely_  wouldn't have been able to handle that, not even with Chloe here. Her presence did help, though. Knowing that she was right there was the best medicine.

After giving her a reassuring smile, he wandered over to his desk to update his notes. When he returned, he had three lollipops in his hand brandishing them like claws. "You're never too old for a lollipop."

At first, Max wondered if he was messing with her, but his offer seemed genuine. He was the first to unwrap the yellow candy, unceremoniously shoving it in his mouth. She hesitantly took the orange one he held out for her and popped it into her mouth with Chloe following close behind. The sugar did help a bit with the shakiness that had suddenly overcome her.

"Hmm… there is some irregular activity. Nothing that can't be fixed with a good night's sleep, a hot meal and these," Quinn mentioned between sucks as he held up a small plastic bottle.

"What are those?" Max questioned suspiciously, her brow furrowing at the bottle.

Her concern was understandable. Quinn hadn't expected to earn her trust right away, or ever. He had no idea what Max had been through after all.

"Some very special medication," he replied simply before explaining further. "It's been created to help with the strain powers can have on their users. I'm sure you've already experienced some of the after effects. It'll ease things like headaches, nose bleeds, shakiness, nausea and so on so forth. All that good stuff. It's not a cure-all but it will help somewhat."

Max eyed the bottle suspiciously, opening the lid to see half blue and half red capsule pills. "So, they're basically painkillers then?"

Quinn's eyes focused in on the pills, supposing that she wasn't  _too_ far wrong. "You could see them as that, yes. Although, they have much more use than over the counter or even prescribed painkillers. If pills aren't your thing, and since needles are a no go for you, there's always an oral suspension if you prefer. Just to warn you, it tastes like shit."

Needles were definitely out of the question, especially knowing how badly she'd reacted and felt to having blood taken. Part of her had wanted to storm straight out of there and leave this all behind. She hadn't been a fan of needles before getting her powers, even less so after.

"You're really selling it to me." Max managed a semi-humorous tone despite her anxiety.

That got an amused smirk from Quinn, "That's me, the walking advertisement." His doctor side soon took control again. "Seriously though, it helps with the pain. Tried and tested. Just take one whenever you feel any major symptoms related to your powers. However, you can only have one every twenty-four hours maximum and I would not recommend taking them for more than three days in a row without a solid three-day break in between. Oh, and make sure to eat something beforehand. Otherwise, you  _will_  throw up."

After pocketing the pill bottle and grabbing her hoodie, Max stood up. "Thanks for the warning."

"Just doing my job. You need to head off towards security office next to get an ID card. This will give you access to higher security areas that concern you, aka. the Time Team Sector." Quinn headed on over to the door and let the women standing outside in.

Chloe kept hold of her friend's hand despite the audience. Her own pride was nothing compared to Max's feelings now. As for Max, she was thankful for the support. The punk was the only thing keeping her sane and calm right now.

"How'd it go, champ?" Kat asked as she entered the room, noticing the hand holding but not saying anything about it. She did find herself smiling, though. Jac and Quinn had also realized, again not commenting.

"Not bad," Max replied, still a bit shaky but feeling much better now it was all over.

"She was a star patient," Quinn praised with a wink thrown in Max's direction. "You want me to take her to security instead? Save you the legwork."

The ulterior motive behind this supposedly kind gesture didn't escape Kat's attention. "Any excuse to go see Felix, huh?"

He didn't even put up a fight against this accusation. "You got me. I haven't seen him all day. They won't let me leave my station until late."

"Somehow I don't think you'll get away with it. Escorting people is the specific sector's job," Jac reminded him before stroking her chin thoughtfully. "Although, we could try dressing you up to look like Kat to smuggle you over. That might work."

"Worth a shot. Let me just get that wig I've been saving up just for this occasion." He grinned at the ridiculous suggestion before sighing. "At least tell him to come see me when he gets the chance."

"Of course," Kat promised before they headed off towards the security office. After knocking on the door and being invited in, they all piled inside to the small room.

"Felix, how's it going?" Jac greeted the man sat in the chair in front of a huge array of computer monitoring screens.

"Now here are a couple of mugs I haven't seen in a while."

The tall man with a shaved head hidden underneath his hat and stubble grinned as he stood up. His dark blue eyes lit up when he realized Kat and Jac had come to see him. He wore a security guard outfit, complete with utility belt. Although, he seemed better armed than most watchmen Max had seen. Maybe how David would've geared up if he'd had his way.

"Quinn tried to sneak over here by the way," Kat announced as she came to a stop in front of him. "You'd better go see him before he mutinies."

Felix shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Again?"

"You should know better than anyone that he's very high maintenance. Even more than Kat, I'd wager." Jac smirked while stealing a glance towards her partner.

"Hey!" Kat frowned at the comment.

An amused smirk crossed Felix's face at the comparison. "That's one way of putting it. Anyway, how can I help you guys today? I see we have some new faces."

"This is Max and Chloe. Max needs to get her own HNTR device and both need an ID card," Jac clarified while motioning toward the young time traveler.

"Oh, we have another member of the team then?" he observed, getting a good look at the young woman stood before him.

"Got it in one," Kat confirmed, seemingly over her annoyance.

Felix nodded and grabbed a camera from the desk. After snapping a couple of head shots and putting their information in the system database, he printed off two ID cards. One for Max and the other for Chloe. With that out of the way, he grabbed a box from a shelf and placed it on the desk. He opened it up and took what appeared to be a phone out.

Once he had gathered everything together he handed the cards, box, and phone over. "Let me hook you both up. Here are your ID cards and one HNTR device for Max."

"HNTR device?" Max asked as she pocketed her card, curious to know what he was talking about.

"Yes, the Handheld Navigation and Tracking Rangefinder device. I assume you haven't been told about it yet from that confused expression. Makes sense. You never know who's listening." By the end of this sentence, Felix appeared to be talking to himself more than anyone else present.

After a few seconds, the screen of the device flickered to life and the intoned electronic voice spoke. "Initializing new user. Please enter the vital information indicated below."

This vital information included things like her name, preferred pronoun(s) and birthday, all the basic details required to build up a profile. After she had filled all this out, the screen switched again to the home page. It looked like any other touch screen phone, with various apps dotted around.

That was until the robotic voice spoke again. "Ready for voice recognition. Please state your full name."

Everybody turned to Max with gentle prompting. "Maxine," she heard Chloe snicker. "Caulfield."

After a moment, a soft electronic sound rang through the air. "Voice recognition confirmed. Please hold the HNTR device in front of your eyes for retinal scanning." Max obliged, following the various instructions she was given through the device. "Welcome, Ms. Caulfield. As you are a first time user I shall run through the basics with you. I am HNTR. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." A hand popped up on screen, waving at her in greeting.

"Um… likewise," Max stuttered, thoroughly confused by all this. They were really throwing her in at the deep end here.

"My main task is to aid you with work-related missions. Professional functions include, but are not restricted to, tracking residual energy, gathering confidential intel and hacking," HNTR rattled off the information in quick succession, eager to demonstrate its skills.

"Where are all  _my_ cool gadgets?" Chloe grumbled, sounding mildly jealous.

"We can add you on as a secondary user but you won't have access to any confidential information without the approval of the registered user  _unless_  it's an emergency. That means you can use HNTR for everyday tasks," Jac mentioned to pacify her.

Chloe shrugged it off to act cool but was clearly hyped for the chance to use a secret, high tech government device. "Better than nothing, I guess."

"HNTR, activate secondary user capability please," Kat announced in a clear voice.

"Acknowledged. Please add the vital information below." After passing the device over to Chloe and letting her fill in her details, the screen flickered back to the home page. There were understandably fewer apps available than on Max's home page. "Greetings, Ms. Price. You have been successfully recognized as a secondary user to this particular HNTR device."

"This is so fucking cool," Chloe gleefully mentioned as she handed HNTR back to Max, who logged back into her own profile again.

"Try not to lose the HNTR device if possible. They are expensive and you  _will_ regret it," Kat warned, knowing through experience.

Jac allowed herself a small smirk. "You would know."

"Hey, I only temporarily lost  _one_  and it wasn't my fault. I found it eventually. Felix over-reacted," Kat vehemently defended.

Felix narrowed his eyes at her. "I didn't over-react. These devices are expensive. Not to mention the huge security risk losing one could pose."

" _Sure_ it wasn't your fault, Kat," Jac chuckled, stressing her sarcasm. "Seriously though, the device will erase all information if it comes into contact with unauthorized users who try to hack into it, maybe even self-destruct. In most cases, it will appear to be a normal phone and lock everything down until it's returned. Security has the task of retrieving lost HNTR devices."

"Yes, so  _please_  take care of HNTR," Felix pleaded before turning back to his work.

"I imagine that is a lot for you to take in. So, we'll take you to your new home." Kat motioned for them to get moving.

Now that Max had her most important piece of tech, she was ready to visit her and Chloe's new home. There were other devices and gadgets for her to use, but she would need some training. HNTR was the most user-friendly of their repertoire.

The four of them left the security office, back out to the parking lot. "You'll have an apartment nearby, nothing too fancy but it should do. We're actually living in the same building as you, so if you need anything we'll be on call."

As they exited the facility, Max glanced down at the device in her hand, trying to get her head around everything that had happened in the past couple of days… no, ever since she found out about her powers really. This was the very last thing she had been expecting to be doing now. Who would be able to predict this?

She just had to make the most out of a strange situation.


	7. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Max’s initial induction into the program, she and Chloe head off to see their new abode. Maybe home is closer than either of them realize.

**Chapter Seven: Home**

**Apartment Complex - NV**

After leaving the facility and heading back out onto the main road, they made their way to the apartment complex. Neither Max nor Chloe had ever been to Nevada before now, so eagerly took in the sights that passed by them as they approached ever closer to their destination.

If only they were visiting under happier circumstances.

"And here we are," Kat motioned towards a shabby building as Jac pulled into a parking lot, windows dirty and paint peeling. "I realize it doesn't look like much but trust me, it's a decent place to live."

Max and Chloe exchanged hesitant glances, wondering just what was in store for them when they got inside. Blackwell hadn't been a five-star hotel by any means, but it had been a bit more presentable than this building. Without further delay, they headed on inside the building and up the stairs to the second floor. Jac fumbled around in her pocket and took out two keys, passing them over to the girls. Max jammed the small silver key into the lock and opened the door to their new home.

Thankfully, the interior was much cleaner and well-kept. All the furniture and appliances had been provided for. There was a lounge area, kitchen dining section and a bedroom with both a double bed and a single leading to an en-suite bathroom.

"Not bad." Chloe whistled as she paced around the room to get a better look at where she would be staying.

"Feel free to decorate the rooms as you please," Jac mentioned as she watched the bluenette examine her new abode like a kid in a candy store.

A challenging twinkle entered blue eyes. "Don't tempt me."

Kat's lip quirked up into a small smile. "Now I'm curious."

Chloe returned the grin with her own cheeky one. "No spoilers. You'll just have to wait and see."

Jac managed a smile too before she pressed on with the important information. "You'll get an allowance from the program each month for the two of you to live off. Erin owns the building so you don't have to worry about rent and other bills are paid for directly. A bank account has already been set up in your names with money deposited. Here are the details and cards for it."

She passed over a small plastic wallet containing all the relevant information. Max took it, placing it over on the table to put in a safe place later.

With that out of the way, Jac pressed on. "When Erin gets back, we'll sort you out with a car and some other stuff too. For now, we'll leave you to get settled. You have until Monday to rest, then it's officially onto the program. We'll discuss details later. If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask. We're just across the hallway from you."

After exchanging numbers through HNTR, Kat waved them goodbye as she and Jac left the room, closing the door behind them.

Max looked around her new home, taking everything in. Weirdly, her plan to get an apartment with Chloe had now been fulfilled. She had expected at least a few months wait, but she wasn't complaining.

"They really went all out with this place, huh?" Chloe announced, sounding impressed by the preparations.

"I'm surprised too," Max admitted. This place was much nicer than she had expected.

Chloe picked up on that, a smile quirking at her lips. "Were you expecting a cell in the facility?"

The brunette nodded. "To be honest, kind of."

Since movies and books were the only relative experience she had to go by, it had painted a pretty bleak image of governmental programs. While she wasn't totally convinced this would be perfect by any definition of the word, it could be much worse.

"It doesn't matter where we are, as long as we're there together." Chloe paused for a moment to look around their new home. "Not that I'm complaining about getting this place at all."

That made Max smile more easily than she had in a long time. "Me neither."

The two girls snooped around more thoroughly, checking individual drawers and cupboards. Luckily there was already some food in the kitchen, the necessities like milk and bread as well as a couple of pizzas to start them off, so they decided to chow down first. While they were waiting for dinner, Chloe flopped down on the couch with a sigh.

"Man, what a crazy few days," she mumbled just loud enough for her friend to hear.

"I don't think crazy does it justice," Max mentioned sadly as she joined her on the couch.

There was so much truth to that, more than Chloe wanted to admit. "You said it. I don't even know where to start."

"First things first, I think we need to dye your hair again." Max pointed to a washed-out strand of blue hair to demonstrate her point. The strawberry blonde roots were very noticeable now.

Chloe opened her mouth to protest out of habit, closing it again when she realized it would be pointless to rebel against the facts. "Glad to see you've got your priorities straight." Her eyes lit up suddenly, clearly plotting something. "Hey, how about we do yours too?"

The question caught Max off guard. "Mine?"

Her punk friend eagerly took a strand of her brown hair, twirling it around her index finger before letting it go. "Yeah, we can totally do it red or something. Nothing too different but enough, you know?"

Max took a moment to deliberate over this suggestion, finally shrugging. "Sure, why not?"

"Seriously?" Chloe seemed really excited and surprised by her agreement.

"Seriously," she repeated more confidently.

"Can I get that in writing? I don't want you backing out on me at the last second." Chloe teased lightly, grinning from ear to ear.

If this kept her happy, then Max would do it. Besides, a change in look might be a good thing for her. Distance herself from everything that had happened.

"I won't back out on you. Never again," Max asserted with as much conviction as she could manage.

She needed Chloe to realize she was here to stay this time. That she wouldn't leave her when the going got tough.

"I know… you've proved that again and again. Even now." The way Chloe was looking at her right now made her heart race and body tingle. "So much shit has happened in such short space of time and… we haven't had much time to talk about it."

Max had known this conversation would come eventually. Part of her had hoped it would be later rather than sooner. Still, if Chloe wanted to talk about it, she wouldn't stop her. "No, we haven't."

"Do you… want to?" the bluenette asked hesitantly, looking as if she was walking across an active minefield.

As tempting as it was to put it off, the longer they left it, the harder it would get to bring it up. "We'll have to at some point. Why not now?"

Chloe nodded silently, her expression changing to something much sadder. "Yeah, I guess. It just… doesn't seem real. Any of it."

Words didn't do how either of them felt justice. They never would, Max was certain of that. "I wish it wasn't."

"Me too," Chloe agreed quietly. If she thought about it too much it just made her want to cry, so she didn't.

Max brought her legs up to her chest, hugging them tight with her chin resting on her knees. If this was going to work, they needed to be open and honest with one another… no matter how painful. "It's something I don't think I'll ever be able to forget… or forgive myself for."

Hearing her best friend say that made Chloe feel so helpless, more than ever before. When they were kids she could almost always make the problems go away, or at least make Max feel better about it. Now, though…

"Max, you tried so hard to save Arcadia… to save me, so don't feel guilty about it. Please."

"My 'trying' just made everything worse." Max sounded so resigned and exhausted that it made Chloe's heart constrict painfully.

Seeing her like this was too much. She had to do something to change that expression of hopelessness. Anything…

"No, it didn't. Your trying is the reason I'm here right now. That's not a failure," Chloe insisted as she tentatively took Max's hand in hers.

They seemed to fit so perfectly together. Or maybe that was just her trying so hard to make them fit. Either way, she didn't care. By fate or force, here they were. Nothing would get in their way. Not anymore.

"That's my one and only success," Max mentioned as her eyes met Chloe's.

There was something different about them now. No longer soft and doe-like, but hardened and harrowed. Flickers of warmth and uncertainty spread through the sea of blue, confliction clear. Max may not be the same as she was before, but she was still Max. The shy hipster, the wielder of time, the savior and destroyer… her best friend, her partner in both crime and time, her… everything.

It was that realization which spurred her to say the things that needed to be said.

"What you were saying before about… us." The words got caught in Chloe's throat, refusing to be voiced.

This was much harder than she could have ever imagined. With everything going on, the Prescotts, Mark Jefferson, the storm and… Rachel, there had been no time to sort out how she felt. Even now she wasn't certain but they had to keep moving forward, however blindly. She had lived in the past for so long that she was sick and tired of it. Max had been doing the same.

Enough was enough.

Max just waited there patiently for her to continue. She better than anyone knew how hard it was to express yourself. Especially when it was something so important and meaningful to you. These thoughts were almost impossible to voice thanks to the constant worrying over potentially dire consequences.

"Look, I think it's pretty obvious that there's something… between us. I'm not sure exactly what it is… no that's a lie, I think I know what it is. At least, from my perspective. I think… you've realized it too, maybe," Chloe bit her lip, visibly gathering her thoughts. "It's hella confusing, terrifying and… kind of exciting all at the same time."

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Max added, trying to encourage her friend. She almost didn't dare breath in case it disturbed her train of thought.

The bluenette nodded, seemingly reassured by the statement. "With everything that's been going on, certain… feelings have taken a back seat. Everything is still all over the place but it does seem a little clearer to me now. I need more time to really sort things out in my head and… everything, but you deserve to know that I… care about you. A lot. Maybe more than I should."

"Chloe, I care about you too. A lot." Max put as much emphasis on those last two words as she could.

She wanted Chloe to understand that she really meant it. That this wasn't just some carelessly used passing phrase. There could be no room for misinterpretation.

Chloe let out a sigh of relief she didn't even realize she'd been holding in. "I thought so. Like I said, there's a lot of shit I need to figure out, I'm sure you have too, but… I'm just going to go with the flow and see what happens. If things go down… I'm not going to stop them."

"Then I'll do that too. Go with the flow." Max repeated the phrasing, confirming it. The words felt good to say.

Both of them relaxed considerably after having this conversation as if a huge weight had been removed from their shoulders. They spent the rest of the evening eating, chatting and watching TV. Just enjoying each other's company. For today, they needed to forget about their situation. Soon, night approached and they decided to turn in.

When they reached the bedroom, Chloe turned to Max with a sheepish grin. "So… sleeping arrangements?"

Max couldn't help but laugh at the question, equal parts nervous and amused. "Well, don't you move quickly?"

Chloe shrugged, flashing her million-dollar smile, "It's not my fault I'm irresistible." The playfulness faded slightly, replaced with uncertainty. "Seriously though, how do you want to handle this?"

It was a question that had been on Max's mind too. Things were a bit different for them now and that was kind of scary. She didn't think anything would happen right now but the thought of overstepping boundaries too soon was a worry.

Chloe was her friend and… so many other things.

"We can just… do what we've always done," Max suggested.

There was no reason why they had to change anything between them immediately. Gradually, new experiences would be added in here and there. Besides that, they could continue just as they had before.

"Right, yeah. Just thought I'd check, you know?" Chloe clearly needed some reassurance on this.

Max gently took her hand and gave it a squeeze. Small steps… "Chloe, don't worry so much. You'll make  _me_ feel nervous and nobody wants that."

"Sorry, sorry," Chloe chuckled, her body relaxing slightly. "I guess I just don't want to mess shit up, that's all."

"Me neither, but I don't think we will." They may stumble along the way but there was nothing that could tear them apart now.

"We won't," Chloe replied more confidently.

Her answer made Max smile. "That's more like the Chloe Price I know."

"What, the charming and dashing rogue?" the bluenette offered up a cheeky grin.

"I would say 'pain in the ass'. But hey, whatever works." Max smirked, knowing that would get a reaction out of her best friend.

As expected, Chloe grabbed a pillow from the bed and launched it at her head. "You are such an ass sometimes…"

Max managed to step out of the way at the last second, dodging the attack. "Only sometimes?"

"Despite your misgivings, there are things worth sticking around for. Anyway, I don't know about you but I am wiped. Let's hope this bed is comfy." Without any hesitation, Chloe raced off and jumped onto the bed, sinking into the mattress.

Max watched her, shaking her head and smiling. "Does it get the Price seal of approval?"

"Hella yes. You should test it out for yourself, though," Chloe coaxed, patting the space beside her.

"Don't mind if I do."

Max made her way over to the bed and laid back on the mattress. Chloe had been right it was pretty comfy. They didn't have any different clothes to change into right now, so they got all snuggled up in the blankets. It took them a few moments to sort themselves out, both uncertain where to put their hands and various other body parts.

When they finally did settle, Max had her back to Chloe. An arm had been carefully draped over her waist after much hesitation. Now, contact between them had a new meaning. It was both familiar and foreign, like visiting a childhood hideout you haven't been to in years. Things changed, became more worn and weathered, but deep down it was still the place you found solace.

It was still home.

* * *

**Kat and Jac's Apartment**

After saying their goodbyes, the two agents headed on back to their own apartment. Immediately, they sank into the couch, just glad to be back home. So much had happened over the past few days and they had very little time to put their feet up. In fact, they hadn't been home much since being assigned to the Arcadia case. As usual, Kat made sure to leave no space between them.

"Can you remember when we first moved in here?" she asked, her question tinged with nostalgia. That moment was one of her happier memories.

It was strange, and a bit sad, for Jac to think of the time before they had moved in here. That time felt like a whole different world. "Like it was yesterday."

Kat glanced up at her, completely understanding that feeling. "You make it sound like it was a hundred years ago."

"It feels like it sometimes," Jac admitted. Both of them were only in their late twenties, but they'd been through so much, forced to grow up quickly and in ways they'd never anticipated.

"Okay, old woman," Kat chuckled softly.

The more reserved of the pair gently shook her head, her lip quirking upwards into a subtle smile. "I would like to point out that you're the older one here. Even if you don't act like it."

That earned her a light shoulder nudge. "Remind me again, why do I even like you?"

"Because you do," Jac simply stated.

Apparently, that wasn't an acceptable response. "That's not an answer."

Jac grinned, eager to take her up on the challenge. "Isn't it? Well, I suppose I could recite all those cheesy reasons you've told me over the years if you really need a reminder. Maybe I can shout them out of the window and let everybody know."

"You wouldn't do that," Kat replied dismissively, although there was a hint of hesitation in her voice.

"Want to bet?" Jac asked, enjoying every minute of this playful teasing. They spent so much of their time being serious and professional that anything to break that was a welcomed change.

"And people think  _I'm_  the evil one…" Kat mumbled to herself.

"Statistically speaking, they may be right," HNTR added sounding about as playfully teasing as a robotic voice could. "There would certainly be many cases supporting the theory."

"I would say name one, but I don't want to go down that rabbit hole. Consider this a temporary retreat." True to her word, she dropped the issue.

That was a debate for another time. For now, all she wanted to do was catch up on her sleep and stay beside Jac while she did that. She could feel her eyelids closing, feel the warmth from the woman sat beside her.

"Is someone getting sleepy?" Jac's voice broke through the hazy tiredness building up in Kat's mind.

"Yeah…" was all Kat could reply.

She felt lips pressed lightly against her forehead before her body was re-adjusted so she was laid down on the couch. It was a tight squeeze, but one worth attempting. Arms were wrapped around her, legs tangled and personal space invaded.

Right now, they were just two normal people living their lives. Or at least, they could pretend.


	8. Redo

**Chapter Eight: Redo**

**The Next Morning - Max and Chloe's Apartment**

When Max awoke, her eyes were met with unfamiliar territory. It took her a moment or two to realize where she was and why. There was a warm pressure at her back and an arm draped over her waist. She carefully looked back over her shoulder, seeing Chloe's sleeping face when she turned.

Smiling to herself, she laid there not wanting to move. Very cautiously, she took hold of Chloe's hand, fingers gently intertwining. Surely her friend wouldn't mind...

"You do realize I am awake, right? Taking advantage of me while I sleep… so bad of you." Despite Chloe's protests, when Max went to pull away she stopped her only tightening her hold. "Never said I minded. You are too easy to tease."

Cheeks burned at being caught. If she said anything now, she would only incriminate herself further. Instead, she just let it go. She was now very aware of how close Chloe was to her, feeling a bit nervous. Her mind was going to all kinds of places… some she wasn't quite ready to face yet.

Of course, she knew that Chloe wouldn't force her to do anything she wasn't ready to do, but… knowing that things  _could_ happen was daunting. On top of that, she wasn't very experienced with relationship stuff. From the sounds of it, Chloe had at least some idea what she was doing.

The brunette hadn't asked her much about her relationship history, jealous of anyone who had gotten that close to her and feeling stupid because of it. Not that it mattered. Still… she found herself wanting to know.

Chloe soon noticed the confliction, realizing that she had to break the stalemate. "You've gone suspiciously quiet."

"Have I?"

Max had that expression Chloe recognized all too well. Her deflection face, the one she wore when she was trying hard to divert attention from something that was bothering her. "Don't play dumb with me, Caulfield. I know you better than you know yourself sometimes."

Realizing that she wasn't getting out of this one, Max sighed and gave in. "Fine, something is bothering me. Don't get mad, okay?"

"Okay…"

"I'm really not sure how to ask this… how many, um, people have you… what I mean is…" The words refused to take form, leaving her unable to ask the question she wanted to.

"Come on, use your words like a big girl," Chloe teased lightly, trying to calm her down. Max had a tendency to get stressed out over the smallest things.

"I'm so going to hit you," Max threatened playfully, forgetting her anxiousness for a moment. It gave her the break she needed to figure out what she wanted to say… mostly. "How many people have you… been with, before now? I mean, it doesn't really matter or anything, but… I just wondered. You don't have to say if…"

"Chill, Max. It's fine. I get that you're curious," Chloe interrupted before she got too caught up in her own words. "Well, during my misspent youth I 'dated', I use that term very loosely, my fair share of douchebags, big mistake. Then… Rachel came along. I don't know if you'd call what we had an 'official relationship' or anything, but…" She faltered, bittersweet memories racing to the forefront of her mind.

Her relationship with Rachel had always been… turbulent. From the very beginning, they had both been broken people searching for someone to put their pieces back together. Despite the rocky start and even rockier end, she wouldn't give it up. Not a single second of it.

There was a flicker of sadness in her blue eyes, making Max regret asking in the first place. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything…"

Chloe shook her head, not wanting her to feel bad. "No, you should. If I don't talk about shit, then I'll close off. I don't want to keep secrets or hide things."

"Well, as you can probably guess I haven't really been with anyone before…" Max added, although at this point it was a bit redundant. If she hadn't kissed anyone before, logic followed that she probably hadn't dated anyone either.

"Obviously, you were saving yourself for me, right?" Chloe asked cheekily, grinning from ear to ear.

Deciding to play her at her own game, Max stifled a smirk. "Something like that."

As desired, that shut Chloe up right away. The brunette managed to turn over, coming face to face with her. They were inches apart now, both not really sure what to do now.

Chloe hesitantly tucked a strand of stray hair behind Max's ear as she gathered her thoughts. "Max…"

"Yeah."

"I've been thinking…" she paused, trying to think of how to word this properly. Her mind was drawing a blank right now.

"That'd be a first." Max grinned, happy to exploit the opportunity to tease her for a change.

Blue narrowed her eyes. "I hate you, sometimes… but, I did kind of walk into that one." She cleared her throat before continuing hesitantly. "You know I talked about that whole 'go with the flow' thing?"

"My memory's not  _that_  bad."

A cheeky grin tugged at the bluenette's lips. "Oh, I don't know about that."

"Now look who's being a jerk," Max mumbled with mock anger, trying hard to appear mad. She was just too cute sometimes.

"There's something I want to try. You can say no if you don't want to, but…" This had all been much easier in her head, where she could control everything. In reality, she had very little control over her situation.

"I'm listening." Max felt nervous all of a sudden, her heart beating faster as she waited for Chloe to continue. This moment seemed to last for an eternity.

"Remember when we broke into Blackwell and then crashed at my place?" Chloe began, starting slow to build herself up. Baby steps...

"Yes, of course I do." How could Max forget, especially after… the dare.

Now came the hard part... "Well, I think messed up. When I, you know, dared you to… kiss me."

"How so?" Max asked, her heart rate increasing with every word.

Admitting she had made a mistake was difficult for Chloe, especially when it had been such a stupid one. "I made a huge joke about it and… pulled back. I didn't think you'd actually do it. Of course, I was hoping you would but… it took me by surprise."

"To be honest, I'm surprised I even did it," Max admitted. Maybe being drunk on rewind power had something to do with it. The 'old' her probably wouldn't have followed through. "I'm glad I did, though."

"I'm glad you did too. Problem is, I majorly fucked up your first kiss. You deserve a decent one at the very least. So… I propose a redo. If you want," Chloe suggested hesitantly, hoping that it wasn't too early to be asking.

It would just be nice to kiss under normal circumstance… well, more normal than before. Give them a break and a chance to really enjoy it, work out a few things.

The suggestion only increased the beating in Max's chest. Maybe that was her answer. "You didn't fuck it up, Chloe… but I won't say no."

"Good, because I was going to pester you until you agreed," Chloe joked.

"I figured as much."

"Okay, here goes…" Chloe leaned close, her face inches away from her friend's.

Max met her part of the way, their lips colliding. The first kiss was hesitant and brief, both nervous and testing the water. When they had both acclimatized to the feeling, they kissed again. This time was longer and more confident, although not too much.

Unlike Max, Chloe had kissed people before. Several, in fact. None of those kisses even compared to the one she was sharing with Max right now. It was so tender and gentle, she could feel her heart melting. How could one simple kiss affect her so much? She suspected that the person behind it had a lot to do with that.

After a few more seconds, they pulled apart. Eager, and a little scared, to find out what Max thought, Chloe decided to ask her directly. "So, verdict?"

Instead of answering with words, Max shyly went in for another brief kiss. The feeling was… indescribable. "That answer your question?'

When Chloe finally registered what was happening, a small smile crept onto her face and she rested her forehead against Max's. "Yeah, it does."

"You know, I think this is definitely one of your better ideas… not hard to achieve," Max mentioned cheekily. Now was as good a time as any to push her luck.

"If you ever want to do it again, I suggest keeping smartass comments like that to a minimum. Anyway…" Chloe slid out of bed, stretching her arms above her head with a crack. "Let's play around with that device they gave you. What was it called? HNTR or something?"

Max shook her head slightly. Of course Chloe would want to mess around with the potentially dangerous device.

"Affirmative, Ms. Price. HNTR is my name," HNTR chimed in, making its presence known.

Chloe swiped the phone-like device from the bedside table, giving it a thorough examination. "This is way cool. Like a badass spy gadget but  _way_ better. HNTR, what can we do with you?"

Compliantly, HNTR began to explain some of its more everyday functions. "Anything you would with a normal phone for starters, but in a much more efficient manner. You name it, I can do it."

"Can we hijack some hella cool, super-secret military tech and wreak havoc? Get some explosions going?" the bluenette asked gleefully as she messed around with some of the apps displayed on screen.

"Jeez, Chloe," Max sighed as she sat up, feeling like it was her responsibility to ensure that Chloe didn't start a nuclear war or something. Nobody would be happy with that...

Continuing to fiddle around, the punk shrugged. "What? I'm just messing around… mostly."

"It would not be the first time I have been asked to perform such a task, both joking and serious," HNTR divulged.

Over the years, it had performed a few potentially dangerous functions. Thankfully nothing bad had come from it… at least, nothing unmanageable.

"So… you  _can_ do it then," Chloe pressed, determined to get a definitive answer. It was nice to know their options.

HNTR appeared to be thinking, pausing for a moment before finally responding. "Potentially, yes. However, I would have to decide if such force was required."

Not satisfied with just knowing they could do that in theory, she pushed for more specific detail. "What  _would_  make it required? Purely for theoretical purposes, of course."

"They are going to regret letting you within a hundred-mile radius of HNTR…" Max muttered to herself. She was already worried about  _her_ losing or breaking the device… let alone Chloe blowing up half the planet 'just for fun'.

"You do remind me a lot of Ms. Roscoe, Ms. Price," HNTR mentioned with a flicker of fondness.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Chloe grinned. "Also, just call me Chloe. The whole 'Ms. Price' thing is kind of weirding me out."

"Same goes for me," Max added swiftly. She wasn't used to anyone being so formal.

"Very well, your preferences have been set," the advance AI confirmed.

Chloe's smirk broadened, denoting trouble. "So, back to my question…"

"I admire your determination, however regret to inform you that I am dropping this line of conversation until the necessary time," HNTR replied, clearly used to dealing with 'determined' people.

"A wise decision," the young time traveler agreed. It wasn't that she didn't trust Chloe… it was just that she  _might_ take her inquiries beyond the hypothetical.

"I thought so," HNTR stated, sounding resolute.

"You guys are no fun…" Chloe pouted, crossing her arms.

"If the time does come for us to hijack anything, I shall try to reserve that privilege for you," HNTR promised.

A similar deal had gone down a treat with Kat. Compromise was the key to peace.

Her previous annoyance mostly forgotten, Chloe grinned again. "You sure know how to get on my good side. That and I'm too hungry to argue… so, breakfast?"

"Do you ever stop thinking about food?" Max chuckled as she pushed herself off the bed.

"Sometimes… when I'm thinking about you," Chloe responded with a sly grin. Max blushed at that, exactly the reaction she had been hoping for.

* * *

**Kat and Jac's Apartment**

Jac hummed lightly as she prepared some breakfast. As usual, she was the first one up. Kat really wasn't a morning person. The smell of food might help rouse her. As expected, she heard the familiar shuffling of sleepy footsteps coming from the bedroom. She glanced over her shoulder just in time to see Kat.

"Morning sleepyhead," Jac greeted as Kat stumbled over and snuck in a sleepy kiss.

"Morning."

Seconds later, Kat clumsily grabbed some cutlery and flopped down into her usual chair. Her eyes were half lidded, hair all over the place sticking out at every possible angle. She began setting the table.

Soon enough, breakfast was ready. Once plated up, Jac brought it over. Her partner had a huge appetite so the food matched up accordingly. Bacon, eggs, toast, fried mushrooms and beans, about as full a breakfast as you could get.

"Heard anything from Erin recently?" Kat asked before shoveling food into her mouth.

With a much more reserve, Jac began eating too. "She's still stuck in meetings. Apparently, they are going in circles… like always."

Taking a large gulp of orange juice, Kat slammed the glass down on the table. "Do they ever resolve anything?"

After glaring at her for nearly breaking the glass, a warning that was duly noted, Jac shrugged. "No would be my guess."

"They should just let us run the program on our own," Kat mentioned as she began piling a little bit of everything onto her toast piece. "Erin's pretty much running everything by herself anyway. Other people just keep interfering and dragging her off to pointless business meetings."

"They  _should_  but we both know they won't."

Kat stopped eating for a moment, a rare occurrence. "Yeah… I know. I just feel sorry for her. I don't know how she deals with all those assholes. I'd have punched a few by now."

Jac couldn't help but laugh at her violent attitude. "And that's why Erin deals with the diplomacy side."

"I'd rewind straight after. Nobody would even know," Kat clarified, smirking to herself. From the looks of it, she was picturing the possible chaos vividly in her mind.

"Again,  _this_ is why we don't send you off to deal with them," Jac repeated smugly.

"Fine… I get your point. I might not be good at diplomacy, but…" Kat took a break from eating, leaned towards her partner and gave her a brief yet tender kiss. "I  _am_  good at other things."

Jac lightly bumped her forehead against Kat's, a small smile quirking at her lips. "Maybe you are."

* * *

**Los Angeles**

A tall woman, a little over six foot, strolled out of an office building. The wind ruffled her chin-length blonde bob, light brown eyes scanning the street for her motorcycle. Once located, she rolled her shoulders and made a beeline for the bike, eager to leave.

Thankfully, all the boring meetings were over for this month. They always ended the same… never resolving anything. It was such a waste of time, but she had to attend. Otherwise, who knew what would happen. She was pretty much the only one in this system able to fight in the corner for power bearers. Speaking of…

She took out her HNTR and pulled up the latest profile added to the system. With great interest, she examined the accompanying photo of a young girl, taking in her pale freckled skin, mid-length brown hair and blue eyes. No longer soft or innocent. It was an all too familiar look.

"Maxine Caulfield, huh? Guess we'll be crossing paths very soon," she muttered to herself as she returned HNTR to her bag, put her helmet on and sped off down the road.

The sooner she could get back to base, the better.


	9. HAWKE Initiative

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ready or not, it's time for Max and Chloe to get down to business. Their first port of call, a talk with the program's leader Erin Hawke.

**Chapter Nine: HAWKE Initiative**

**A Few Days Later - HAWKE Initiative HQ**

The rest of the week passed Max and Chloe by fairly uneventfully. They used the time to relax and just spend time together. A much-needed break. Much to Chloe's delight, Max had gone through with her hair dyeing plan, going red as she had suggested - a deeper, darker color than the bluenette had pictured. No amount of convincing had made her friend budge. Max didn't want the change to be  _too_  obvious. She was still getting used to it, but she didn't hate it. That was better than she had expected.

When Jac and Kat had come to take them to the HQ this morning, they seemed to like it too. Kat made a comment about digging redheads. That made Jac roll her eyes. They hadn't come over just to appreciate Max's new hair color, though. Apparently the program's leader, Erin, had finally returned from her business trip and wanted to meet both Max and Chloe. This would be the last official step in the enrolment process.

A tall, blonde woman approached them as they entered the facility. From the way she carried and presented herself, she was clearly a very important part of the program. By power of deduction, she must be Erin.

The woman smiled at them. "Apologies for not being here the first time. I was away on important business. My name is Erin Hawke, leader of the program. The name might give it away. So, you must be Max and Chloe, yes?"

"Yes, I'm Max," the recently made redhead confirmed glancing over at Chloe, who gave her a reassuring smile.

Erin offered up a smile, shaking both their hands in quick succession. "It's a pleasure to meet you both at last. Now, if you'll follow me." She motioned down the hallway before taking off. Exchanging brief looks, the four of them followed her to a small office-like room. They all took a seat, squishing up together to make room in the cramped space. "Not the biggest office ever, I'll admit, but at least it's cozy."

Kat looked around the room, shrugging. "Still makes our workspace feel like a hovel."

Jac was quick to add her own opinion on space assignment. "Quinn does the best out of us all, I think."

Judging by Erin's expression, she agreed with that observation. "You might be right there. Guess we should all consider switching careers."

When Max could get a word in edgeways, she decided to ask about the reason behind this little meeting. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

Erin turned her attention back to Max, taking a pen and absentmindedly chewing the end as she gathered her thoughts. "A few things. Firstly, let me tell you a bit about the HAWKE initiative, just a brief overview. It started out as a non-governmental organization, more of a social club really. Through various means and methods, I managed to discover others like myself. People who had powers that most humans could only dream of. We got together and tried to figure out why we had these weird superhuman and supernatural powers, as well as playing around with them."

She paused, tapping the pen on the desk a few times as she recalled events. For Max, the idea of other people like her still seemed strange. It was weird enough  _she_ had powers, let alone everyone else here.

Rolling her shoulders, Erin continued. "Eventually, the government caught wind of our little meetings and decided to take them seriously. Before we knew it, we all had been hauled up and asked a thousand different questions. Through cooperation, we could set up the HAWKE initiative on an official basis with proper funding. The whole thing is self-contained, with those involved in the program running the day to day workings. Myself included. Consider me, among other things, a liaison between us and those who provide the funds."

"Not a job I envy," Jac mentioned sympathetically.

She knew how difficult those providing their funds could make the process, how self-centred and egotistical they could be. Money and power often did that to people.

Nodding, Erin leaned back in her chair, a sigh escaping her lips. "Someone has to do it. And it's the only way to make sure we stay in relative control over our fates. Otherwise… well, let's not entertain that idea. Not worth thinking about."

"Maybe you're just a control freak," Kat added cheekily, simultaneously pushing her luck and trying to lighten the mood.

"That too." Erin allowed herself a smile, knowing that was at least partly true. "So, a little on our powers in general. As of now, we believe that these traits are the result of random genetic mutations, potentially with environmental stimuli providing a catalyst. That is the theory, anyway."

"Nobody  _really_ knows and we'd like to keep it that way…" there was a hint of darkness to Kat's tone as she continued, "...considering what it would probably take to find out."

Erin's face scrunched up momentarily, clearly disapproving of the potential methods required to further understand the origin of their powers. "Quite. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with me or anyone else within the facility. I like to think we're an approachable bunch. I'm assigning Jac as your primary mentor for the time being."

"Which means you get me as an unofficial bonus when I'm not busy," Kat added cheerfully, clearly enjoying the prospect of power.

Erin allowed herself a slight smirk at her enthusiasm. "I wouldn't speak too soon, Kat. You'll jinx it."

"You mean you'll find me some work to do," Kat corrected, narrowing her eyes accusingly.

That suspicion earned her a shrug. "There's always something to do around here. If I'm suffering, others should too."

"Can those 'others' not be me?" she pleaded.

"That depends on if you behave or not," Erin stipulated, enjoying teasing her.

Kat shook her head, looking offended at the thinly veiled accusation. "Pfft, I  _never_  misbehave."

"You have a funny concept of behaving then," Jac chimed in smugly.

The lack of support made her partner pout. "You're supposed to back  _me_  up. Not her. That's kind of your job, you know."

Jac held her hands up in surrender. "Hey, I don't want to get all the crap errands."

"Me getting them is just as bad for you. We don't get enough time together as it is…" There was a flicker of sadness in her tone, her expression mirroring it perfectly.

Eyes softening, Erin sighed as she ran her fingers through her hair. "I'll refrain from piling work on you for now, so long as you don't make any extra work for me. Deal?"

Kat's mood changed on a dime, much more upbeat now. "Deal. Although, I'm not too optimistic about the whole 'for now' addition."

"I have a feeling we are going to get particularly busy soon. Just a hunch." For it being 'just a hunch', Erin sounded fairly confident.

"Your hunches are usually spot on," Jac announced with a degree of resignation.

Erin nodded slowly. "Where work is concerned, yes. Especially any predictions increasing our workload."

"There's always so much admin work," Kat complained.

"Yes, and I have to do most of it. Enough about that. We have more pressing matters to attend to than speculating." Steering them back on course, Erin rolled her shoulders and continued. "There are key skills you will learn during this program, things like using your HNTR device for work, alongside basic combat and firearms training."

"Wait, I'll need to learn how to use a gun?" Max asked cautiously. After her experience, guns were to be avoided at all costs.

Looking sympathetic, Erin confirmed the question. "None of us really like it either, least of all me, but there you go. It's a precaution."

There had to be a reason behind that. "Has anyone had to shoot before?"

"I have. Not a good experience," Jac added stiffly. Clearly, it wasn't a pleasant memory and she had no intention of expanding on it now.

"Sometimes, it's necessary," Erin mentioned sadly, appearing to have her own experience with guns from the way she was acting. "Although, we promote less violent methods as a rule. On a slightly different note, we'll get you sorted out with a car. Can either of you drive?"

Max nodded. "We both can, yes."

"Perfect. That saves time for us all." Erin hesitated momentarily, her expression turning serious. "This goes without saying, but… don't tell anyone about your power." She shot an acknowledging sideways glance towards Chloe. "Well, more than you already have. Can't be helped sometimes. Avoid it where possible, though. Otherwise, it'll put you and the people you tell in a lot of danger."

"Got it." Chloe was the only one who knew about her power and she would be sticking close by from now on.

The punk leaned back in her chair, the metal creaking under her weight. "Danger, huh? Can't be any worse than we're already in."

"Hopefully, not. Now, if you'll excuse me, my work isn't done for the day." After exchanging contact info over HNTR, Erin left them to it as swiftly as she had arrived.

"Is it just me or does she seem more stressed than usual?" Kat asked, concern clear in her voice.

Jac didn't answer straight away, thinking things over. After a moment, she let out a deep sigh and nodded. "I didn't want to say anything, but yes."

Usually, stress was not a good sign. Max knew that better than anyone. "That doesn't sound good."

"Keeping peace is a taxing job," Jac clarified as they left the office.

"Great, more power-hungry assholes to deal with," Chloe muttered under her breath, not happy at all with that prospect.

Kat gave her a questioning look, trying to understand where the resentment came from. "Sounds like you've had some experience."

"You could say that," Chloe added bitterly. Even without confirming it, Max knew she was referring to the Prescotts. Seemed like the people providing the funding were just as bad, if not worse.

"Hopefully, you won't have to deal with them directly," the older red-haired agent sighed.

The last thing Max and Chloe needed was more trouble. If possible, they would keep the new additions to their family out of the petty politics. Keep them in the loop, but not  _too_  much.

Kat shoved her hands in her pockets, matching Jac step for step. "They aren't a fun bunch. Major understatement."

After walking a short way, they came to Kat and Jac's workspace. Kat had been right. Erin's office was a palace compared to this place. Half of the office was neat and organized, the other erratic and chaotic. There was a clear line between the two sections. Jac headed over to the more ordered side, while Kat stepped over various books and boxes to get to her seat. The way they kept their own space seemed to align with their personality as far as Max and Chloe had seen.

Once settled, Jac turned her attention back to the two girls sat before her. "Since it's your first official day here, we won't be doing much. Mostly answering questions and just general chatting. Nothing formal."

Kat smirked at that conclusion. "We're not big on formalities, as you may have picked up on already."

"Works for me," Max agreed. She had never done well in formal situations and was grateful for the casualness.

"I figured as much." Searching the top drawer, Jac retrieved a piece of paper and placed in down on the desk. "Now, here is a rough timetable of what we shall be doing each day. Nothing is fixed, but we need to start off with a generic program to see where you are in the grand scheme of things."

"Of course you have a timetable already drawn up…" Kat sighed at her over-organization. "So typical of you."

"That's why Erin made me the mentor, not you," Jac pointed out, trying not to sound smug. That earned her a half-hearted scowl.

Max examined the table she was handed, reading each slot carefully. Mostly, it consisted of training with her powers and the HNTR device, which would become an important part of her new role from the looks of it. It seemed very daunting to her right now. Another path to follow.

Then, Jac turned to Chloe specifically. "As for you, Chloe, you can participate in any of the activities Max does, aside from power specific ones, of course. You can still attend them if you like. We encourage you to be as involved in the program as possible. Safer for everyone that way."

"Guess you're not getting rid of me anytime soon, Caulfield," Chloe mentioned with a toothy grin.

"Great…" Max tried to sound as begrudging as possible, stifling a smile.

Chloe's eyes narrowed at the less than enthusiastic response, shoving her shoulder affectionately. "You could sound a little more excited. Otherwise, I might start withdrawing certain privileges."

Kat and Jac exchanged glances, smiling as their eyes met. This kind of behavior was all too familiar. It reminded them of how they interacted with one another. It was refreshing to see. Given the dangers those with powers had to face, there was often an impenetrable aura of pressure and threat surrounding the facility. Sometimes, it was overwhelming. Bringing new people in usually combatted that feeling… for a while, at least.

"Okay, okay, enough with the cute stuff," Kat cut in, a hint of teasing in her tone. "You'll make me blush."

"R-right…" Max stuttered awkwardly, clearly having forgotten there were other people in the room.

Chloe, on the other hand, didn't seem as bothered by it. If anything, her eyes dared them to challenge further.

It was almost scary how much the bluenette reminded Jac of Kat. There were differences, that much was obvious even from the short time they had spent together, but there were definite similarities. Something told her that things would only get louder and more interesting from here on out.

* * *

After meeting Max and Chloe, Erin headed towards the medical bay. She had to chat with Quinn about something extremely important. The pressure from above was becoming increasingly difficult to deal with, demanding things they just couldn't endorse. Since a lot of it concerned Quinn and his work, she needed to warn him. He cared just as much about the people involved in the program as she did, a sentiment those funding the project didn't seem to share.

All they saw was the profit, ways of manipulating their powers for their own benefit. It had grown worse over the years, especially in the past few months. Somehow, Erin had managed to keep them at bay. She had a way with people, hence why she was running this whole thing. That and nobody else wanted the job. She didn't blame them, but someone had to do it.

For how much longer she could maintain her influence, she wasn't sure.


	10. Underdog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Summary: Concerns for the program's autonomy are beginning to make scratches on the surface. How long until they bubble over? For now, they have little visible effect on Max and Chloe.

**Chapter Ten: Underdog**

**Medical Bay**

Reaching the medical bay, Erin poked her head inside. She couldn't see Quinn straight away and briefly wondered if he had bailed. "Quinn, you here?"

"Where else would I be?" A familiar voice called back to her from the hidden section, aka the main stock room.

Erin stepped inside, making her way over to the stock room. As expected, he was there checking over the medicine and other items stored there under lock and key. "Oh, I don't know… in the security office with Felix."

He looked up from the tablet he was holding, offering her an amused grin. "Not a bad guess, but no. For today at least, I'm being a good boy and working."

She returned the smile, crossing her arms. "Glad to hear it. Makes my job easier."

Stopping his work for now, he backed out of the storage room and turned to face the blonde. "So, what would you like from me this time? I could do with some good news."

"I wish I could give you some." She sighed deeply, not wanting to sugar-coat it. Quinn was smarter than that and deserved to know what he was up against.

"Ever the bearer of bad news…" he muttered under his breath as he leaned against a section of empty countertop space. "Go on then, hit me with it."

Preparing herself, Erin cut straight to the chase. "The assholes up top keep pushing for more… invasive and potentially dangerous medical procedures. Seems like they want to find out what makes us tick, among other things."

His expression shifted to something much more troubled. "Ah… that is a problem."

"Understatement, but yes." Erin nodded, feeling just as concerned as he looked.

There had been attempts in the past to put them through more rigorous tests and experiments, but they had never gone through to completion. The pressure behind them had become much more aggressive and insistent recently.

"I'm doing my best to keep them at bay, but… well, you know how they are. Just thought I'd warn you."

"You know how I feel about it. I'm not the only one," Quinn confirmed, looking frustrated.

There was no way in hell he was about to put people's lives at risk just to maybe find out a little more about how powers worked. He could see where it was going… artificial induction. Taking normal people, voluntary or not, and making them superhuman. There would be more than a few casualties along that route.

"I know, but there  _are_ people out there just itching to take us all apart." Erin shuddered at that thought. She didn't want to think about the possibility. "That or make us do questionable 'missions'. Turn us into little more than tools."

"Private funders or government?" he asked cautiously.

Either was a safe bet. Until now, the government had provided some form of protection from private backers. Hell, there had actually been one or two influential politicians with 'supercharged' children involved in the program. That had given them some leverage. A few recent shifts in management and power, however, had led to the appointment of people of the less sympathetic and more selfish variety.

"Recently, both," Erin admitted reluctantly. "Doesn't help that one of the private funders has wormed his way into the government program committee. Not just that, but in a key leading role. Vested interests and all that. Money does talk as they say."

Quinn nodded solemnly, seeing the larger picture painted before his eyes. "Right, lucky us."

"I just… I don't know. I feel like we're holding back a tsunami with a paper barricade. Part of me hoped things would stay as they were, annoying but manageable. With each meeting, I'm seeing the possibility of that dwindle rapidly," she mentioned sadly. It felt like she and the others were just holding off the inevitable.

"What are we going to do?" he asked, concern lining his features.

"I'm open to suggestions," Erin added half-jokingly. When she noticed Quinn's mounting concern over their situation, she quickly stepped in to ease his fears. "Don't worry, I have a… plan of sorts. It's been brewing up ever since agreeing to the whole government thing. I had a feeling things would go south eventually, as did everyone. I'll have to have a chat with Jen and Alfie about it."

Jen and Alfie had been part of the original HAWKE group before the government got involved. They and Erin made up the first line of defense when it came to the initiative's Western division. Alfie balanced the books and dealt with the educational side of things, while Jen oversaw the main training regime, her extensive combat experience and tight organizational skills coming in handy. They were Erin's right and left hands.

The other seven members of the original HAWKE group were either settled in the Eastern division or, in three cases, had disappeared off the face of the earth under suspicious circumstances a few months ago. Yet more reason to worry.

They had been very vocal about their hatred for government intervention, particularly the private investor side, and had threatened to branch off and make their own program. Either they had run off and gone into hiding or…

Quinn scratched his bearded chin, deep in thought. They seemed to be fighting a losing battle. "I don't like any of this, Erin."

Having someone confirm they were on her side made Erin feel a little better, not much though. "You're not the only one. As much as I'd like to think that this storm will blow over, I'm not confident."

After some time, he tentatively asked, "Should we let the other know?"

That was a good question. Erin didn't want to cause more worry than necessary. There was always a small chance that things could get better.

"Soon. They will need to be told, but I don't want them to panic. I'd rather have things in place ready for when they are told. Ease their worries." Not only that but the more people knew the more risk they put themselves in.

"Wise move," Quinn agreed. Until they were certain, it was best to keep it quiet. "A bunch of panicked power wielders won't help matters."

"Things might last for a few weeks longer yet, maybe months if we're lucky, but unless something changes drastically and soon, we're on our own." At least they had each other and, in most cases, powers to rely on. That was something.

"Always fancied myself as an underdog," Quinn added with a smile, trying to lighten the mood. Something about his tone did seem somewhat resigned.

Whatever happened next, they all had a tough fight ahead of them.

* * *

**A Week Later – Max and Chloe's Apartment**

Over the last week or so, Max'd had her first few lessons on the program. A sizable chunk of those had been with her HNTR device, learning all the tips and tricks to effective use. Combat training had been tough since she had literally no experience. Survival skills had also been at the top of the list, just in case they found themselves in trouble. Not a promising outlook. At least the program would prepare them for any eventuality. There had also been one or two tests involving powers, nothing too strenuous for now.

She had met a few other people like her so far, not many yet. Group sizes were small, for Max that meant only six including herself. Fran, Geraldine, or Gerry as she much preferred, Trip, Resh, and Chloe, of course.

In the Western division, there was a total of twenty-four enrolees excluding those running the program. The same could roughly be said of the Eastern division. Across America, there were estimated to be a hundred or so people like her, give or take. Exact numbers remained unknown. Worldwide numbers were almost impossible to determine.

As for her fellow classmates, they had a broad variety of backgrounds and powers. Gerry, for example, was a dream walker – able to traverse the dream realm and even bend it to her will. She was the youngest of the group, only fifteen. Fran, who was a little older at sixteen, was Gerry's maternal half-sister. Her power was an interesting one, shapeshifting. The pair had been through a lot, that much was obvious, but they hadn't divulged much information so far.

Resh - sixteen going on seventeen - had some power over fire, although the result wasn't very controlled. It reacted to his emotions and, since he seemed quick to anger, that didn't make for a good mix. Trip, seventeen, had been living on the streets for the better part of a year. He'd been attacked one day, reasons unclear, and left for dead. The event had fully awakened his ability, superhuman regeneration. That power could extend to others, but it took a lot of energy apparently.

Then throw in Max's time travel and they had a broad spectrum of powers. Jac and Kate were the only other time travelers the shy hipster had seen so far. She wondered just how many people had the ability. According to Jac, there was at least one other person enrolled in the program that she was aware of. Max made a mental note to go and find them when she had the time.

She and Chloe had finished for the day, now back home. They were still getting used to their new living arrangements, among other things. At least it was comfortable and relatively safe. Having eaten, they took refuge on the couch, snuggled up under a blanket. That was how they seemed to spend most of their evenings now.

"So, how are you finding it all so far?" Chloe asked, curious to find out how Max was handling everything.

"Strange," Max admitted, relaxing further into her friend or… whatever they were now. Labels didn't really matter. They both knew what they had. "Never thought I'd see other people like me. Guess I was wrong."

Chloe nodded, gently playing with Max's fingers as they laid there. "Makes sense. If there's one, usually there's at least a dozen more." There was something on her mind, it had been for a while. She had tried to bring it up a few times, failing miserably. Swallowing her apprehension, she bit the bullet. "Max, I… need to talk to you. About Arcadia."

"Okay," Max said, voice as calm as possible. Dealing with events at Arcadia would take time and lots of conversations.

"I haven't… I've been trying to ignore what happened. All those people, mom… I've tried to stay strong, for you and myself, denying it…" Max took hold of her cheek, staring into those familiar blue eyes as tears ran from them like waterfalls. "They're all… gone. Forever…"

"Yeah, they are," Max agreed sadly, feeling a wave of melancholy hit her and tears begin to well up in her own eyes.

She didn't stop them. Didn't want to. Chloe was being so honest and vulnerable. She deserved the same courtesy back. Besides, bottling it all up was never a good idea.

"It hurts," Chloe admitted through her soft sobs. "Hurts to think about. Don't get me wrong, I'm not blaming you or myself. Far from it. I'm so fucking grateful that you saved me. More than I can ever put into words. I just… wish it could have been different."

Max nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat. "Me, too…"

"In the same situation, I would have saved you over, well… everything." The bluenette took a shaky breath, steadying her resolve. "No hesitation. You know that, right?" She needed Max to understand just how much she cared and didn't care how selfish it might sound.

"I do." Max leaned in, kissing the tears away as gently as she could. She wanted to take all the pain away, absorb it so that Chloe would never have to feel this way again.

"I would never give you up for anything. And I know you're the same, you've proven that time and time again," the blue-haired punk whispered, her heart aching from the cascade of emotions she was feeling. The fact that she was feeling this meant that she was alive. With Max. "We've both sacrificed a lot to get here and… I'm not letting you go. Ever."

"I… neither am I, Chloe. Ever," Max promised, voice low and wavering as she barely managed to keep her composure.

Instinctively, the blue haired punk closed the small gap, leaning in and kissing her, tender and sweet. Max was quick to reciprocate, the hole in her heart filling slightly as her hand found Chloe's. The young time traveler still worried that every time she woke, she'd realize that Chloe wasn't by her side. That she had… failed to protect her. The bluenette must have read her mind, because she deepened the kiss, confirming this was real. That she was still here.

A world without Chloe Price… that was the only thing Max couldn't survive.

* * *

**Kat and Jac's Apartment**

The minute both Jac and Kat got home, they flopped down on the bed, completely worn out. Today had been exhausting and every muscle ached, even ones they didn't realize they even had in the first place.

"So, how are Max and Chloe getting on so far?" Kat asked curiously.

Jac opened her eyes, looking at her. "Good, as far as I can tell. It's early days yet, but I think they'll do fine."

"They seem strong," Kat observed.

She didn't know the details of what the pair had been through, but she didn't have to. It was clear enough to see. She saw a lot of herself in them, recognized the loss in their eyes.

Jac shuffled closer to Kat, pressing into her back and wrapping an arm around her waist. "People can be when they have to."

Thankful for the contact, Kat moved as close to her as she could, taking hold of her hand. "You don't have to tell me that twice. Just wish we didn't have to be."

"One day, we won't," Jac whispered in her ear, soft and reassuring.

"I hope that day comes soon," Kat sighed deeply, snuggling up to her partner. Whenever she was near Jac, she felt safe, at home.

"We'll make it," Jac promised. One way or another, whether the universe wanted them to or not, they would make it work.


	11. Firestarter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Summary: Max and Chloe finally get the chance to meet some of their classmates. And some tests and stories are in order.

**Chapter Eleven: Firestarter**

**Three Days Later - HAWKE Initiative HQ - Training Room**

It turned out that Jac wasn't just Max's mentor, but one assigned to the entire group. She was the person who would be leading most of the training program for the six of them, Chloe included. Having Chloe around was a novelty for the others. A "normal" person hanging around seemed to keep spirits high, proof that maybe one day they could be accepted by others. Kat wasn't around today, although she had made an appearance once or twice during the week. Most days, she had her own responsibilities to deal with. Much to her protest.

Today would be the first real test of their powers. Jac wanted to see what they were all capable of, both through talking and demonstrating where possible. The more info they had, the better this worked. She had some idea as to what kind of things Max might be capable of at least. The others, not so much.

Erin had compiled a list of abilities from people with similar powers as a guide, where applicable. Others, such as Gerry's dreamwalker ability, were fairly new territory. Trip's regeneration seemed to be a rare power as well, very difficult to test. Unless he or someone else got hurt, there was no real way of putting his ability into practice. Not wanting to do that on purpose, Jac kept his testing minimal. More him explaining what he could do and how. If anyone got a papercut or something, she would get him to show off his skills. Otherwise, he was off limits.

"Right, today I wanted to talk a bit about our powers and what we have been able to do with them. A good starting point I think," Jac suggested, getting them started. She had been in charge of a couple of mentor groups over the years. None of them were ever the same.

"I'll go first, sorry to all the eager volunteers," Trip added with a slight smirk, knowing full well that the others wouldn't be forthcoming. "My power is regeneration, both for myself and healing other people. Haven't tried limb regrowth… and would prefer not to." He shuddered at the thought, clenching a fist and tensing.

The others felt the discomfort too, their own limbs tingling just thinking about the possibility. It wasn't a pleasant possibility, to say the least.

"Well, I can shapeshift," Fran jumped in after he finished, eager to distract herself from the horrifying mental image. "I've tried making myself look like other people several times, one or two animals too. A few objects as well."

Following her half sister's lead, Gerry offered up information on her power. "I can walk into people's dreams and interact with what they see. I can't make things appear out of nowhere, but I can use what people have seen and thought to alter their dreams."

Resh was next to summarize his power, sounding a little proud of what he could do. "I can manipulate fire, sometimes even conjure it at will."

Then, it was Max's turn. "I can time travel. It started off being able to rewind a minute or two. Then, the timeframe expanded."

She didn't want to go into too much detail about her rewind ability, just in case. Besides, she didn't feel like talking about it too much.

Jac nodded, taking it all in. "As for me, I'm the same as Max. Well, sort of. I imagine there will be some differentiation between the sub-abilities we've developed."

Chloe smirked, leaning back in her chair. "My power is being an irresistible badass. Just ask Max here." She jabbed her thumb towards her friend, grin widening.

The young time traveler rolled her eyes at the unnecessary interruption. "No comment."

Jac smiled to herself before moving on. "Great. Now, I would like to focus on Resh's ability today as it is the one we know the most about and has the least consequences for use."

"Fine by me." He shrugged, enjoying the sudden attention he was getting.

"You see the target over there. I would like you to try and hit it. If you think you can," Jac challenged, herding them all back behind a fireproof barrier for safety.

Newfound powers could be difficult to master and… accidents happened. Best to take pre-emptive measures to prevent possible injury.

"Pfft, easy."

Resh stood up, cracking his knuckles before focusing all his energy on the round central bullseye. Flames sparked from his left hand, a small ball of fire accumulating before it rushed towards the target, hitting the edge.

"That was a… practice shot. I can get the bullseye," he insisted, sounding annoyed at his lack of precision.

Before anyone could say or do anything, he tried again, getting closer but not enough to hit the red circle. Frustrated he threw his hands in the air. A stray flame surged from his fingertips, careening towards Gerry – who had crept out from behind the protective barrier to get a better look at the exciting display.

Just as it was about to hit her, Max instinctively thrust her arm out and rewound. When she stopped, she felt dizzy but was able to let out a feeble 'Watch out, fire… Gerry...' before the event.

Trip noticed her warning, the only one. Quickly bounding across towards the young girl, he pulled her over and shielded her from the fiery impact. The fire instead struck his arm, the unpleasant sizzle and smell of burning flesh filling the air.

He winced, patting the fire out and watching the skin blister up, flashing an angry red then calming down considerably as his mystical regen got to work. On anyone else, it would have led to nasty, long-lasting burns. Within half an hour or so, he'd be as good as new. Maybe an hour tops. Still hurt as badly, though.

"You're lucky you just hit me, Resh. Be more careful next time," Trip warned, calm and non-accusatory.

"Shut up…" Resh growled, angry at his lack of control. Without another word, he stormed out of the room.

"What are we going to do with him?" Trip muttered to himself, examining his arm again. Watching his power at work never grew old.

"You okay?" Fran asked her half-sister, worried.

Gerry didn't answer straight away, suddenly shaking herself back to reality again. "Y-yeah…"

"Max…" Chloe called out to her friend, looking incredibly anxious.

She had seen what could happen when Max pushed herself too hard. Nosebleeds, excruciating head pain and blackouts. None of them were good, about as far away from good as you could get actually.

"I'm… I'm okay. Just… a little dizzy." Max exhaled deeply, feeling the mild nausea pass.

"That went well…" Jac sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Is everyone okay?"

Gerry nodded, swallowing before she spoke, focusing on Trip. "Just surprised. Thanks for saving me."

He shrugged, glancing over at Max. "Wasn't just me. Without Max, I wouldn't have known until… well, it was too late."

Quickly, she turned to Max, smiling appreciatively. "Then, thank you too, Max."

"Yes, thanks to both of you. Otherwise…" Fran didn't finish her sentence. She didn't have to.

Max shrugged, not knowing how to react. "Don't mention it."

"Returning back to the original question, I'm good," Trip confirmed, holding up his ever healing arm as proof, his sleeve singed. "Resh owes me a new shirt, though."

All eyes turned to Max, who was quick to alleviate their concerns. "I'll live. Just need a lie down and I'll be fine."

Jac didn't seem as convinced as the others by her reassurances but didn't say anything. Having the power herself, she knew just what it could do to their bodies. More than any other power, time travel had a nasty backlash, especially in the first year or so of a time traveler's discovery of their power. Even when the body and mind adjusted, after rigorous training, the power could still push you over the edge.

She decided to keep an eye out for her fellow time traveler and would probably have a word with her in private now. Away from the others, Chloe in particular.

"Okay, well, we'll wrap it up for today. Hopefully, tomorrow will go more smoothly." Everyone gathered their things and began filing out. Before Max could leave, Jac approached her and Chloe. She needed to make sure she was really okay and not just saying it for other people's benefit. "Sorry to interrupt, but I would like to have a quick word with Max. Alone."

Chloe shrugged, shoving her hands in her pockets. "She's all yours."

They all walked over to Jac's office, Chloe taking a seat out in the hallway as the other two entered inside. Jac didn't sit down this time, instead leaning against the desk. Max sat down in the chair she motioned to, accepting the cup of water she was offered. Her eyes flickered to a post-it-note on the desk. The handwriting was messy and a few words were scratched out.

_Erin caught me doing nothing, so she's set me up with some paperwork in the archive room :( Come save me when you're done for the day._

_P.S. Remember, I'm cooking tonight. Prepare your stomach!_

_signed Katman (or is it Katwoman? You decide :p) xxxx_

Jac noticed Max looking, smiling to herself. "She is such a dork sometimes. Scratch that, all the time."

"Seems so," Max agreed.

Most people might have gotten angry at her indiscreet snooping, that was often the case. Thankfully, Jac didn't seem too bothered about her seeing the note. There wasn't anything embarrassing on it really. Maybe on the other side…

Max frowned at herself for wanting to turn over and check. That  _would_ be crossing the line. Still, she was curious.

"For the record, she's more of a Catwoman than a Batman. Mostly." There was a hint of sadness in her voice, one that she soon got back under control. "Anyway, I didn't drag you here to talk about Kat." Her expression turned more serious as she stared at the young woman sat in front of her. "Are you really okay, Max? I know how… taxing our power can be sometimes."

"Honestly, I feel fine now," Max reassured. Thankfully, the dizziness had only lasted for a few minutes. Sitting down helped, as had the water.

Jac let out a relieved sigh, believing her. "Good, I just wanted to check. You might not have wanted to worry Chloe."

"Not a bad assumption. Seriously, I was just a little dizzy but the worst has passed."

The older woman nodded, resting her elbows on the table and her chin on her now interlocked hands. "Just take it easy from now on. I don't know how much you've used your power before today, a decent amount I imagine, and your body is still adjusting."

"The nosebleeds, head pains and blackouts tell me that much." Max had her fair share of those three problems.

Offering a sympathetic smile, Jac continued. "I had a similar experience with my powers for the first few weeks. After that, it was easier. I still suffer from pain when I push myself too far, even after all this time, but it does get better."

"How long have you known about your powers?" Max asked, finding herself curious. Before now, she hadn't had the chance to ask that question.

"Ever since I was around seventeen, which if you really want to know was about eight years now," Jac added, figuring that would be the next question to anyone.

Two questions down, Max pressed ahead. "Is Kat the same?"

Jac shook her head. "No. She uncovered hers when she was about fifteen and didn't join the program straight away. To put that in perspective, she is three years older than me."

"Really?" That discovery was pretty surprising.

The disbelief made Jac grin. "Surprising, I know. She doesn't act like it. Or look it, either."

Curious to find out more, Max continued her line of questions. "Did you guys join the program together?"

"No, I had already been here for about five months before Kat turned up." Her expression shifted to distant and sad as she answered, like she was recalling a memory. "I was eighteen at the time, nearly nineteen."

"Turned up?" Max pressed. She had a feeling she wouldn't get an answer, but she tried anyway.

As expected, Jac didn't respond directly to the question. "That's a story for another time. I said I'd be having a quick word with you. Chloe will get worried... or jealous from what I've seen."

"Yeah, probably…" Chloe had a tendency to get jealous, even if there was no real reason.

The older woman smiled fondly. "She is very much like Kat in many ways. Well, you know how to reach me."

Max stood up, said her goodbyes and left the room. When she reached the hallway, Chloe wasn't there, probably having gotten bored and gone off exploring for a while. There was someone else hanging around, though. Resh.

When he noticed her, he sighed and stood, approaching her with an apologetic expression. "I was coming to see Jac, but it's good you're here. Saves me the trouble of finding you. Sorry, about earlier. I heard you nearly passed out because of me."

"Not quite that bad," Max replied to ease his worries.

"Goddamn it, Trip…" Resh muttered under his breath, cursing the other boy's exaggeration. "Doesn't matter. I'm still sorry."

"Hey, it's fine. No damage done. We all make mistakes…" Max most of all...

"Sounds like you've made a few…" he caught himself, regretting his assumption. "Wait, that made me sound like a jerk."

Max shrugged, kicking her foot along the floor. "You're not wrong."

He went very quiet then, considering something. "You're not the only one. I… nearly killed someone. Put them in hospital because of my power."

"What happened?" Max asked hesitantly. He probably wouldn't have brought it up if he wasn't ready to talk about it.

Gathering his thoughts, he continued. "I should've handled it better, but… I lost it. Saw some asshole start a very one-sided fight, looked like he was gonna kill the poor sucker he'd decided to kick the shit out of. Set the bastard on fire by accident. He did not look pretty after that. Let me tell you…" Resh shook his head, clearing the memory from his mind.

It seemed Max wasn't the only one struggling. "I'm… sorry to hear that."

He nodded, a slight smile tugging at his lips. "Not all of it was bad, though. Dude who got beat up, that was Trip. Let me tell you, I was gobsmacked when I saw the guy essentially come back from the dead. Wasn't long after that we both got picked up by the HAWKEs and brought here." Hesitant curiosity enters his deep brown eyes as he reached the end of his story. "Have you ever… lost control of your power?"

Wanting to show him that she understood how he felt, at least a little, she answered truthfully. "I don't think I ever have been in control. I tried to save people, help them, but I ended up hurting them… killing them…"

"Killing?" Resh repeated, his voice calm and low.

"Not by choice. Well, yeah by choice, but…" Max sighed deeply, running her fingers through her hair. The memories were still raw. "I didn't want to. Decisions I made screwed everything up."

"That sucks." He frowned at his answer. "Sorry, that's a lame way of putting it."

"It does suck, yeah," Max agreed.

Glancing over at Jac's office door, he cleared his throat. "Right, well I have another apology to make and stuff, so… good chat?"

Max smiled at his awkwardness. "Definitely. Good luck."

Nodding silently, Resh left. A second or two later, she felt someone jab her sides, scaring her. Max let out a yelp, swiveling around. She already knew who it was… "Geez, Chloe, don't creep up on me like that."

"So, ditching me for your new boy toy, huh? I dunno, I leave you alone for one minute…" the bluenette teased, grinning from ear to ear.

"Shut up." Max shoved her shoulder, narrowing her eyes and feeling a bit embarrassed, no doubt what Chloe was going for.

"Make me," she challenged confidently.

"Don't tempt me. Come on, let's head home." Max held out her hand for Chloe. She took it, their arms gently swinging as they headed out of the building to Chloe's truck. Today, like most days now, had been eventful.

* * *

**Location Unknown**

Someone sat at a desk, examining several profiles carefully. Each detailed information relating to people of interest, including photos, name -which was little more than a string of numbers and letters, a product code of sorts-, birthday, aliases, last known location, a basic biography. Not to mention an in-depth description of each individual's power.

There were around six in total spread out on the desk, three of which related to people currently under surveillance and control. The other three had been stolen from their rightful owners. One of these cases was several years old now, the other two very recent.

The two newer subjects had been promising additions, so much research potential and young too, more susceptible to suggestion. Losing them both had been a real blow to the operation. Steepling their hands, the person focused on the last and oldest file.

A young woman with dark skin and thick, brown hair stared back. Her tawny brown eyes showed no emotion, empty and void-like. They were the eyes of a tool, a weapon… a merciless killer. Nothing more and nothing less.

One way or another, they  _would_  get these three precious resources back and more. No matter the cost.


	12. Dreamwalker

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the excitement in class, Max and Chloe could do with some rest. There may be a surprise along the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to explore everyone's powers a bit more. Another group member will be the focus of this chapter.

**Chapter Twelve: Dreamwalker**

**Later - Max and Chloe's Apartment**

Both Max and Chloe turned in early tonight, tired from all the excitement of today. Hopefully, Resh wouldn't be too hard on himself for his honest mistake. Now wasn't the time to think about the world of the HAWKE initiative, though. Instead, Max had another reality to attend to. One where only she and Chloe existed. As her eyes closed, she snuggled up closer to the bluenette.

"Want to try getting closer?" Chloe muttered sleepily, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"I would if I could, trust me," Max replied, too sleepy to feel embarrassed.

"I do," her friend added, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before she fell asleep.

Being wrapped up in Chloe's arms felt safe, safer than Max had felt in a long time. She found herself easily drifting off into the realm of dreams. What awaited her there was… unexpected. A young girl with long, straight dark hair tied back into a ponytail and light brown eyes. Max recognized her almost immediately as the youngest member of her group in the HAWKE initiative.

"Gerry?" Max asked, confused by the young girl's appearance.

She waved, smiling as she greeted the time traveler. "Hi, Max."

Sitting up, Max found that the world around her was nothing more than a swirling mass of black. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm a dreamwalker, remember?" Gerry reminded, stopping about a foot away from her.

Max nodded slowly. "Yeah, I do. What I meant is, why are you here in  _my_  dreams?"

The other girl didn't answer straight away, considering something. "I wanted to properly thank you for saving me earlier. I figured that there was something only I could do for you to show my appreciation. Enjoy…"

"Wh-?" Before Max could finish her question, the scene around her changed.

A familiar setting faded into existence. She found herself in a truck, one she recognized almost immediately. Graffiti covered the inside, a skull and feather decoration hanging from the mirror.

"Helloooo, earth to Max." A hand waved in front of her face, demanding attention.

"Where…?" Max began, staring at the person who had called out to her. Chin length blue hair, mischievous aqua eyes and a natural smirk.

"Are you high? Second-hand smoke and all," Chloe thought aloud as she got back in the driver's seat.

"N-no. Of course not." The shy hipster stumbled over her words, trying to make sense of this. She felt disoriented and dazed.

"Well, you should be with the amount I smoke. Can't have a road trip without weed, right?" Chloe asked amusedly as she shoved the key in the ignition and started up the engine.

Frowning, Max pressed for more information. "Road… trip?"

Chloe gave her a strange look, like she was asking a silly question she should already know the answer to. "Yeah, the one we've been planning for like ever. Terrorizing the streets of Portland, getting our pirate adventurer kicks, searching for treasure, all the good shit."

"I…" The sentence hung unfinished, words swallowed up by the silence.

"Maybe you're just hungry or something. Lucky you, I got some snacks." The bluenette held up a bag, filled with a variety of treats. "They had some of your favorites. Well, gas store favorites. Don't know if anything coming from there could be considered a favorite if you had the choice. Beggars can't be choosers."

Instead of questioning it, Max decided to enjoy the dream, showing her things that could have been if she was normal. Places she had never visited, sights she had never seen. It was bittersweet, but she didn't regret a single second. When she woke, she wanted to fall back asleep again, to lose herself in the considerably happier dreamland vision. When she tried, she realized it had gone.

For the first time since getting her power, she felt… at peace. All the anxiety had faded, replaced by a healing warmth which surged through her. She laid there, enjoying the sensation making a mental note to thank Gerry when she saw her next.

* * *

**Next Day - HAWKE Initiative HQ**

Max's next class wasn't quite as explosive as the last. After Resh's fire incident he said he needed time to practice before he showed his skill in class. Jac hooked him up with a private mentor after hours, someone with a similar skill to him. It was best to give him access to more specific help. Hopefully, within a week or two, he would be able to control his power better. It would take him many years to perfect, but everyone had to start somewhere. In the meantime, he could still discuss his experiences and participate in other ways.

Today, Fran and her shapeshifter ability were the focus. There had been several people with her power over the years, so there was some precedent to draw on. Apparently, Fran had been living with her power for a little over eight months now. In that time, she had ample chance to test out her powers.

Among her shapeshifting repertoire were several animals, her favorite being a fox. A really cute, fluffy one at that. Apparently, it had taken her several months to even start getting used to the different movements. A lot of research too. It wasn't so simple as just learning the appearance.

Most of her forms were still a work in progress and would no doubt take years to master. Inanimate objects were easier -things like mugs and chairs- which were apparently good items to prank people with. One thing was certain, they would all have to watch out from now on.

They all spent a good hour or so playing hide and seek, trying to find her. After winning ten consecutive games, the others finally gave up, even Chloe who was known for her overly competitive streak.

To round off the lesson, Fran tried to assimilate her classmates' appearances. Some were easier than others for her, Gerry being the simplest because they were related. She managed to get a pretty good likeness of Max, although apparently, freckles were hard. As for Chloe, she got the face shape about right and eye color. Height and build was a bit more difficult, as was the tattoo and her bright blue hair. Anything 'unnatural' was especially difficult to copy. Similarly with Trip, who was about six foot, she struggled. Same went for Jac. Since Resh was quite short, his depiction was pretty accurate. Considering she hadn't practiced their shapes before, she did well.

Noticing her flag, Jac decided to call it a day. "Okay, that's a wrap for the day. Good job, Fran."

Trip's lip quirked up into a smile as he looked at the young shapeshifter. "We're going to have to watch out for you, huh?"

"Little innocent me? Nah…" Fran waved away his concern, stifling a grin.

Resh crossed his arms, skeptical. "Uh-huh, sure. We all believe that."

"I'm certainly not leaving my mugs or chairs unattended," Max stated, already getting pranked enough by Chloe without adding Fran's attempts into the mix.

Chloe, on the other hand, was all too keen to welcome chaos. "Should be interesting to see what you come up with. I'm looking forward to a bit of mischief."

"You'll get more than that," Gerry chuckled, knowing just what her sister was capable of.

The group packed up their things and, after saying their goodbyes, made a move. Trip and Resh were the first ready to leave, Gerry hanging back as Jac talked with Fran, probably making sure she was okay after using her power.

"Just gonna go to the bathroom. Don't go running off with your toy boy while I'm gone." Chloe winked, doing her best to get Max flustered. Her attempts were at least partially successful.

"Ugh, you are terrible." Max playfully shoved her shoulder.

Chloe grinned, returning the shove before she walked off towards the bathroom. Waiting around for the bluenette, Max decided to try and talk to Gerry while Fran was busy. She approached the young girl, tapping her on the shoulder.

Gerry turned around, smiling when she saw who was trying to talk to her. "Hi, Max. Have a good dream last night?"

Max rubbed the back of her neck, nodding. "I did, yeah. Thanks."

She shrugged, idly playing with the hood pulley of her jacket. "No need. Like I said, that was a thank you for saving me. I did the same for Trip too and… one for Resh as well. He's blaming himself too much."

"It's hard not to when you make mistakes like that. Mistakes that have the potential to hurt people." Unfortunately, that was a truth Max knew all too well.

"I know." The way Gerry said those two words made her sound much older than fourteen. "I've made mistakes with my power too… but you can't dwell on them. Instead, you have to learn from them and move forward. We can make a difference."

"I hope so…"

As much as Max wanted to believe that, she wasn't overly confident. Not after what she had witnessed. Maybe things could be different if she gave it a second chance, and maybe optimism would just set her up to lose what little she had left.

"We all do, Max. So, we have to try hard. That's why I want to take this program seriously. The sooner I learn how to properly control my powers, the sooner I can help the right people." She seemed resolute and determined to uphold that hope.

"Who are the right people?" Max asked, curious to get her take on it. The young girl appeared to have some idea given her tone.

"People like us. Friends," she answered simply.

Those were exactly the kind of people Max had tried, and mostly failed, to protect. "What if we can't help them?"

Gerry didn't answer straight away, pondering her response. "Then we help whoever we can. Anyone who deserves it."

Another question entered Max's mind then, one she posed. "What about the people who don't deserve it?"

"Well, that depends on what they do. If they try to control us, we fight back." Her expression shifted to something much more vulnerable, making her look all the part the lost teen she really was. "Somebody has already tried to manipulate me and my sister before. Succeeded too. I don't want it to happen again."

"We'll make sure it doesn't," Max reassured, hating to see the flickers of panic and fear in her eyes.

"That's what Fran said too when I talked about it. She…" Gerry sighed, looking sad and guilty, "…she had to hurt someone to get us out. Badly."

"Sounds like they deserved it." Max had no sympathy for people who tried to hurt or control others these days.

Her eyes hardened then. "They did, Max. They  _really_ did, but I don't think it'll be enough to stop them."

Curious to know more, Max pressed for more detail. "Who's them?"

The question caught her off guard. "I… I don't really know. A company or something. Didn't really get the chance to ask and even if we did, they wouldn't have told us."

"So, other people know about our abilities," Max summarized, anxious about the possibility.

" _Bad_ people," Gerry answered simply, clearly done recalling her past.

Max nodded, stashing this little tidbit of information away for later. She might be able to ask Jac about it when she found the chance. If not, maybe Erin would know more. "At least now we have some protection. However long it lasts."

"A long time, I hope. I'm done running." There was something very heartbreaking about the way Gerry sounded now. A hint of hope holding out against the resignation.

"Me too," Max agreed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If not, we'll have each other's backs."

"Someone has to," Gerry muttered as Fran made her way back over. "Looks like my sister is ready to go. Talk to you later."

"Sure."

The young girl waved as she left, disappearing into another corridor.

"Damn, you are really putting all the moves on your classmates. Who's next?" Chloe asked gleefully as she returned having witnessed the send off.

Max rolled her eyes so her friend could see. "I am  _so_ ignoring you."

* * *

**Erin's Office**

There was a knock at the door. Erin lifted her head from the computer screen, inviting whoever it was inside. Jac entered the room, giving her a serious look. "Erin, can I have a word?"

"Sure you can." Erin motioned towards a chair for her to sit.

"It's about Fran and Gerry," Jac stated as she took a seat. "Seems like they had a run in with our old 'friends'. Fran had a quick word with me about it after class today."

Erin rested her chin on her hands, sighing. "I had my suspicions. Had hoped I was wrong, but they have that… aura around them. Like they've seen more than they should. More than normal for power users, anyway."

"Yeah, I know what you mean."

The HAWKE initiative wasn't the only program attempting to recruit those with powers. There were private groups vying for control over these superhumans, most of which were bad news. Fran and Gerry had the unfortunate pleasure of learning that hard way. They weren't the only ones.

"Does Kat know?" Erin asked, a flicker of sympathy in her question.

Jac shook her head, conflicted. "Not yet."

Shifting in her chair, Erin pressed further. "Are you going to tell her?"

Hesitantly, the red-haired agent nodded. "I don't want to keep things from her. Besides, she needs to know."

Leaning back in her chair, Erin nodded slowly. "I agree. If those greedy bastards are still around, she should be ready. Just in case."

"If they even dare try to lay a finger on her, I'll make them regret every single second they have lived." There was an uncharacteristic aggression in Jac's voice. She meant every single word she said.

"We'll do our best to keep under the radar, not attract attention. I'll get Felix to up security and let anyone else who needs to know aware." With all the pressure from 'within' the HAWKE initiative itself, the last thing any of them needed was external competition.

Jac stood, having said what she needed to say. She was a woman of few words, getting right to the point. "I'll keep you informed if I hear anything else."

"Likewise. Just make sure to look after Kat. She won't take this news well."

"Oh, I will," Jac stated with an iron resolve as she left.

Erin rubbed her temples, feeling a headache coming. Just another complication to deal with. "HNTR."

"Yes?" The robotic voice responded.

Going over everything she had to do in her head, Erin focused on the most pressing matter. "I want you to send a general safety warning to all those registered to a HNTR device. Include points like not traveling alone or at night, keeping power usage outside of the HQ to a minimum, being vigilant for suspicious individuals, things like that. Also, send a more detailed report to Alfie and Jen, please."

"Right away."

There was one other thing Erin could look into in the meantime. "One last thing, could you please collect all the information you can on Roscoe Enterprise? Both from within the system and elsewhere."

"Affirmative." HNTR was silent for a moment, clearly contemplating something. "You seem stressed."

"Aren't I always?" Erin asked, an observation that was sadly true.

"True enough. Do try to take a break when possible." HNTR picked a relaxing music playlist in an attempt to help relieve the tension. "Remember, I can provide a massaging service if required using specially programmed vibrations for maximum efficiency. I don't like to brag, but I give a mean shoulder massage."

Erin smiled, grateful for the offer. "Don't I know it. I might just take you up on that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, things are starting to fall into place, connections forming. Have an awesome day and see you next time.


	13. Metamorphosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An ominous program wide message from Erin puts Max and Chloe on edge.

**Chapter Thirteen: Metamorphosis**

**Evening - Max and Chloe's Apartment**

The minute she stepped into the apartment, Chloe slumped down on the couch. "Oh man, I am wiped."

Max rolled her eyes playfully, turning her back to place the HNTR device on the coffee table. She had almost dropped it a few times already. To be fair, some of those had been Chloe's fault, the rest due to her own clumsiness.

"Oh, come on. You hardly did anything."

"Being as awesome as me 24/7 is a tough job." Chloe grinned. Without warning, she grabbed Max and pulled her onto the couch, wrapping her arms tightly around her.

"Ah, Chloe… what the…?" Words failed Max, her arms pinned to her sides.

There was no point in struggling. Chloe had a vice-like grip and it wasn't worth rewinding, as tempting as it might be. She still hadn't fully recovered from overusing her powers yet. The other day when she helped save Gerry from Resh's stray fireball proved that much. Jac said she'd needed at least a few more days to recharge properly from overstretching herself, maybe longer.

"Oh, look what I've managed to catch. A helpless hipster." Before Max could say anything, Chloe placed her lips on her neck and blew a raspberry.

Unable to move her arms, Max sighed. "Ew, why would you do that?"

Grinning, Chloe replied. "Because I can."

An electronic voice caught their attention. "Sorry to interrupt, but there is a new network wide message labeled urgent from Erin."

Max glanced over at the table where she had placed HNTR moments before, managing to wriggle out of Chloe's hold for the time being. "Give it to me."

HNTR began to relay the information.  **"All students are reminded that using powers outside of the facility is dangerous. Therefore, please refrain from using your abilities unless absolutely necessary. Additionally, do not walk alone, especially at night. Report all suspicious activity or concerns, whether around the facility itself or your place of residence, directly to head of security, Felix Hansen, Erin Hawke, or to your assigned mentor. Stay safe."**

Chloe's expression turned serious as she listened to the message. "That seems... ominous."

"It is a safety precaution," HNTR reassured.

It was true, there was no immediate threat for the moment. Whether that would remain true was yet to be seen.

"Is there a specific reason for it?" Max asked, curious and a little worried.

Sure, it was a warning they should always keep in mind, but reminders like this usually only came when something had made them necessary.

"I am afraid you would have to ask Erin for further details," HNTR replied, clearly not willing or able to give them more information on the matter.

"So, there  _is_ something going on then," Chloe pressed, suspicious of the warning.

There was a slight pause before HNTR provided an answer. "As of now, no. I hope that it remains that way. If the time comes, more specific details shall be provided. We shall not leave you in the dark."

Realizing that they weren't going to get any more information, Max gave up for the time being. "Thanks, HNTR."

"You are most welcome, Max. I'm here to help where possible," HNTR replied, letting out a happy blip.

That was a sentiment the young time traveler hadn't come across much since getting her powers. "Glad someone is."

"Anything you require, I can provide for you. However abstract." HNTR had received some… interesting requests in the past, many of which it had been able to fulfill. It prided itself on being able to perform almost any task.

Chloe gave the device a playfully suspicious glance. "Hey, quit schmoozing with my girl, HNTR."

"I am doing nothing of the sort. If I was, you would be in trouble," HNTR responded with a flicker of robotic humor. "Nobody can resist a charming AI such as myself."

"Wanna bet?" the bluenette challenged, crossing her arms.

"I would be cheating you out of your money," HNTR countered, enjoying the teasing. Being serious all the time could get old quick. "How could I live with myself if I did that?"

Seeing where this particular conversation might go, Max intervened. "Alright, break it up you two."

The blue-haired punk turned to her, asking only half-jokingly, "Max, you would choose me, right?"

Seeing an opportunity to tease her Max stood, grabbing HNTR and walking over to the bedroom. Removing herself like this and being vaguely cryptic would drive Chloe crazy. "Why are you even asking such a ridiculous question?"

As expected, Chloe was quick to follow her. "I wanna know. So, out with it."

After putting HNTR down on the bedside table to avoid another dropping incident, she tapped her chin in thought. "Hmm… let me think. There are pros and cons to each option. On the one hand, HNTR is polite, smart and listens to what I say. On the other, we have you."

"Oh, you are so in trouble, Caulfield." Chloe launched herself at her friend, making them both tumble back onto the bed.

Letting out a surprised yelp Max fell back, immediately getting tickled. Knowing all the weak spots, the bluenette got to work exploiting them.

"Ch-Chloe… stop…" Max managed between breathy laughter, trying to get her off unsuccessfully.

Chloe relented for just a moment, smirking. "Take back what you said and I'll consider it."

Sighing, Max resigned herself to the request. "Fine… I'd chose you."

The bluenette narrowed her eyes, looking down at her. "At least sound a little genuine."

Hesitantly, Max reached up and placed a hand on her cheek to get her attention, voice soft. "I would. Every time."

"You're playing a dangerous game here, Caulfield. Who knows what I could do to you from this position. So many choices..." Chloe left the sentence unfinished, knowing that would do the trick.

"Oh, dog… now you're just trying to embarrass me…" Just as Max was about to sit up, Chloe pushed her back down again, stopping her.

"Not just trying. Succeeding." Leaning down, Chloe stole a quick kiss from her. "And who said I was bluffing?"

"I… you… huh?" was all Max could manage in the situation. She had no idea whether Chloe was just teasing her or...

The grin that broke out on the bluenette's face gave that away almost instantly. "You are just  _too_ easy to tease."

"I would like to remind you that I am still here," HNTR cut in, clearly finding the teasing amusing.

"That was kinda the point. See, you don't stand a chance HNTR," Chloe called back, half-joking. It might be silly to actually feel jealous of HNTR, but that was her nature.

"That's what they all say." A hint of mischief entered the electronic voice as HNTR continued, "Now that the topic has come up, would you like me to shut down automatically when you desire… privacy?"

Taking a second to process the question, Max hid her face in her hands. "Oh my god, you did  _not_ just ask that."

"Too early?" The AI asked, knowing the answer already.

Its time spent with Kat and Jac, among others, had allowed HNTR to learn a lot about teasing. It was always learning, eager to understand humans and their behaviors. Not to brag, but it had done a pretty good job so far.

Shuffling out from underneath Chloe, Max laid on her side. "Uh, yeah. A bit."

Chloe stroked her chin, deep in thought. "Hmm… I'm not so sure."

Rolling her eyes, Max stared at HNTR accusingly. "Great, now you've just encouraged Chloe."

"My apologies." HNTR really didn't sound all that sorry.

Clearing her throat awkwardly, Max finally replied. "Now, since I'm already embarrassed… I guess the answer is… yes."

"Very well. I shall use my judgment or you may instigate my sleep mode by asking. It shall last thirty minutes unless otherwise specified. Maximum of an hour," HNTR stated clearly, reveling in the chaos.

Shaking her head, Max brought her hand to her face. "Ugh, I can't believe I'm actually talking about this."

"It might come up later…" Chloe added hopefully, immediately backtracking. "I mean, we don't  _have_ to or anything. I'm down for whatever. No pressure, though."

"I…" Totally not ready for this conversation, Max struggled to find the right words. "It's not that I don't want to. Just… not yet."

"Oh, I wasn't suggesting anytime soon." A mischievous grin tugged at Chloe's lips. "Unless you want to, of course. I mean, I wouldn't blame you. Who could resist?"

Max rolled her eyes again, making sure the blue-haired punk saw. "You have no shame."

"Don't sound so surprised. Now, I'm hella hungry. Gotta save up that energy for later." Chloe gave her a suggestive wink as she sat up and shuffled to the edge of the bed, standing up.

" _So_ not listening."

* * *

**Jac and Kat's Apartment**

After grabbing some food, Kat and Jac decided to get some rest. They were both too tired to do anything else. Jac had her hands tied with mentoring and teaching, while Kat was basically acting as Erin's assistant these days, not an easy job at all. She really was a slave driver.

"Geez, bed feels  _so_ good right now," Kat sighed, muscles aching.

She had been on her feet all day, trying to get things done. Sitting in an office doing paperwork might be mind-numbingly boring but at least she could take as many coffee breaks as she wanted.

"Erin been putting you through your paces?" Jac asked, pulling Kat into her arms as they got settled for the night.

Kat pouted, relaxing as best she could. "Sometimes I wonder if she has any other goal than making me suffer."

"Such a drama queen." Jac chuckled at her partner's put-on paranoia.

"Not all of us can have fun messing around with enrolees' powers," Kat replied, sounding a little jealous. "I heard about the whole hide and seek thing... not to mention the flame incident."

"It's not all fun and games. At least Resh seems to be getting the hang of it from what I've heard, so that's something."

With 'professional' guidance, he was doing much better. All their abilities were linked to emotions in some way. While that could prove useful, cause their powers to evolve in seemingly impossible ways and help, it was a double-edged sword. Anger, fear, despair… these kinds of emotions could make them lose what little control they had.

"Nothing scarier than not being able to control your powers. Getting people hurt in the process…" As much as Kat tried to hide the hint of guilt in her voice, her efforts had limited success. "Don't think I've mastered that skill yet."

"None of us really have," Jac added sadly, knowing that was the truth.

With Erin's warning clear in mind, Jac decided to tell Kat the truth about the group Fran and Gerry had escaped from. Hiding it would only make things more dangerous. As painful as it might be opening old wounds, it was necessary. Didn't make it any easier, though.

"Kat… we need to talk."

"Ooh, so serious." Kat grinned, trying to lighten the mood. When it failed, she frowned. "Jac? What's wrong?" Given her partner's solemn expression, there was only one conclusion to draw. This expression was reserved for only one kind of bad news. The very  _worst_ kind. "...no. You're not saying that…"

Jac could only reply with a single nod. "I am, unfortunately."

Taking a moment to try and get her head around this, Kat swallowed hard. "I thought…"

"We all did. Apparently, those bastards just won't quit. Fran and Gerry, they…" Her sentence came to an abrupt stop when she noticed her partner's reaction.

Curling in on herself as her body shook, Kat began to panic. "I… oh, Jac. This is… I can't…"

Feeling terrible for making her go through this, Jac held onto her tight doing everything she could to comfort her. "Hey, it's okay. I'm here and so are you."

Horrifying memories from the past, things she had tried to forget so desperately, suddenly pushed their way to the forefront of her mind. "I can't go back there, Jac. I just… can't. Those people… they're  _beyond_  evil. I…"

Jac gently smoothed out Kat's body, looking straight in her eyes. "You won't. I'll make sure of that."

Once she had calmed down again, Kat nodded. Her voice was soft and vulnerable, nothing like her usual cheery self. She could trust Jac. One hundred percent. "I know. You have before."

"Yeah… I have." That was the only time Jac had ever used her gun. While it had been horrible, it was totally worth it. She only wished she had the chance again to  _really_ make a difference. "I'll do it, however many times it takes."

"Don't I feel like a damsel in distress," Kat chuckled weakly, resting her head on Jac's shoulder. She wasn't alone anymore, a realization that helped immensely.

"I know you can take care of yourself, but having allies never hurts," Jac whispered softly, placing a tender kiss to her lips. "I'm your number one ally and fan. Always will be."

"Stole my line," Kat mumbled, returning the kiss as she felt tears roll down her cheeks.

Jac had saved her from a seemingly inescapable limbo, made her feel human again. For the longest time, she hadn't thought that it was possible to have a life again. She was eternally grateful that she had been given a second chance and that she could share it with Jac.

One thing was certain… she would rather  _die_  than let those bastards, people she should've been able to trust unconditionally, get their hands on her again.

* * *

**Two Days Later - Before Class**

Chloe had gone on ahead to the classroom, Max's turn to grab them some drinks. One cup of coffee in the morning before they left wasn't anywhere near enough. There was a coffee machine just down the hall from the classroom that Max sleepily trudged towards.

Someone was stood beside the machine, fiddling with the various dials. A tall, slim guy with dark hair cut into a mid-fade, a side parting and long fringe sweeping to the left. His droopy brown eyes were focused on the machine, the faint hint of stubble visible on his jaw and lip. The burn mark on his arm had totally healed, no trace left of the stray fireball incident other than memory… and a new shirt.

As she approached, Trip greeted her with a crooked grin. "Hi, Max. Fancy seeing you here."

"I need my morning caffeine," Max admitted, a timely yawn cutting in to demonstrate her point.

He took the now full cup, stepping aside so she could use the machine. "Me too. Resh can't stand the smell of coffee apparently, so I'm not allowed around him again until I've finished. I think it's just an excuse for him to stay in bed longer, personally."

"You guys share a room?" Max asked, not surprised to hear that.

Trip grinned at her, nodding. "Uh-huh. We came in around the same time. Made sense. Since we're not eighteen yet, we have to stay in the facility. Until Resh is old enough, I'll stick around. Don't want to live on my own."

Max could understand that sentiment entirely. "I hear you."

A mischievous smirk crept onto his face then. "Speaking of… you and Chloe are shacked up together, right?"

Clearing her throat, she turned away from him to use the machine and hide the light blush beginning to form on her cheeks. "Uh, you could say that, yeah…"

He swirled his coffee, cottoning on to what she was trying to hide. "No need to be so shy about it, Max. It's cute as hell to watch you two."

"Thanks… I guess." It was kind of embarrassing to talk about her love life with other people, not in a bad way necessarily. She just wasn't used to it, being a pretty private person as a rule.

"Have to admit, I'm jealous. You guys seem to have a good thing going. Crazier yet, she doesn't even  _have_ powers." He hesitated, backtracking with an amused expression. "Oh, except being an irresistible badass if I recall correctly."

Rolling her eyes at the memory, Max continued to fiddle around with the coffee machine. "So Chloe claims."

Chuckling softly, he smiled warmly. "She's definitely an interesting one. Glad she's around."

"Me too…" Max softly agreed, feeling a wave of sadness wash over her. "She almost wasn't, you know. I… I used my powers to save her. Several times. Other people had to pay the price." Other people had opened up to her about their experiences, maybe it was time to return the favor.

Trip let out a deep sigh. "Man, that's rough."

Max looked over her shoulder, catching his eye. "Yeah… kinda wish I had your power if I'm honest. Healing not hurting. That'd be nice."

Shrugging, he stared into his drink as the steam swirled above the cup. "Used in the wrong way, my power could hurt. Not directly but say I healed someone who, only because I helped, went on to hurt someone else or something. I'd say that's hurting because of me. Takes a little more effort, but possible."

Now he had said that Max realized he was right. All their powers, whether active or passive, had the potential to hurt others. "I... didn't think of it that way. Guess you're right."

He tilted his head to one side, deep in thought. "There's always a way to hurt and heal in equal measures. We just have to aim for the latter."

"Try being the operative word…" Max had tried so hard to make things right… and failed. Her help only seemed to end up hurting someone down the line. Could she actually help anyone?

"Trying's all we can do," he pointed out, taking a sip of his coffee.

As Max messed around with the drinks machine some more a question entered her head, one she just had to ask. "How about emotional wounds? Can you heal those?"

That got him thinking, stroking his chin. "Huh… never tried. Possibly, not on my own, but maybe if I somehow managed to team up with Gerry and channeled my healing power while she's running around in people's heads during dream time, have her act as a conduit. Could be an interesting experiment…" he gave her a stage wink and whisper, "so, don't mention it to the guys up top. Don't want to become a full-time lab rat if possible."

"I won't, promise."

"Good." A thoughtful expression crossed his features like he was genuinely considering the possibility now. "Might mention it to Gerry, though. See what she thinks. Would be nice to know the limitations and potential of our powers on our own time. Why'd you ask? Have wounds you'd like healed?"

"Don't we all?" Max sighed, moving one full cup out of the way. She sure had a few. What happened in Arcadia… that would stay with her forever.

"In this place, yeah. We all have emotional baggage around here. Heavy stuff however you look at it." Trip inhaled deeply, eyes closing for a brief moment. "Tell you what, though, it's nice being around people like us. People who understand."

On that, they could definitely agree. "Tell me about it. I guess I was lucky to have Chloe around."

"Most people would've probably either not believed you or been scared of you. Maybe both. Can't really blame 'em. What's the deal with you two anyway, like how'd you meet?" he asked, curiosity flickering in his eyes.

Allowing herself a smile, Max recalled her past. "Chloe and I go way back. We were childhood friends. Did pretty much everything together. Inseparable." The smile faded slightly as her mind shifted to more recent events. "I moved at a pretty bad time and we kinda lost touch. I came back to my hometown five years later and we bumped into each other. Well, she nearly mowed me down in her truck. Technically, that was the second time I saw her. First time, I didn't realize and… I rewound to save her."

"Bet that was a shock to the system," Trip mentioned sympathetically, warming his hands on the polystyrene cup.

Words would never be able to express just how much of a shock it had been. "Sure was. I heard from Resh how you guys met."

He grinned fondly at the memory. It had been painful at the time, sure, but worth it to meet someone like Resh. "Crazy, right? What a coincidence. You know, I was talking about it with Jac and she told me there's a theory going around that people with powers act like magnets, drawing to one another naturally when they're in close proximity. Don't know how credible it is, but me and Resh are good examples. Kat and Jac from the sounds of it too. As good a theory as any, I reckon."

"Really?"

Trip looked around like he was about to reveal a big secret. "Yeah, Jac didn't go into details but sounds like she stumbled across Kat on a mission and brought her in. Something didn't seem quite right. I reckon someone got to her before the HAWKEs. Nobody good. Sad stuff if that's true."

"Max, is that coffee coming anytime soon?" Chloe's voice echoed down the hallway. "Don't make me come drape you over my shoulder caveman style."

"Coming." Wanting to know more but also not wanting to give Chloe a reason to moan, Max glanced over her shoulder with a sigh. "Guess I'd better get moving before that happens."

Trip drained the rest of his coffee, wiping the stray droplets from his chin and dunking the used cup in the trash can next to the counter. "You should. Now, I need to go drag Resh's ass out here so might be doing some caveman lifting myself. Might be on time for once. Wish me luck." He waved her off, task in hand.

It struck Max that she didn't really know much about Jac or Kat, about their story. Maybe it was time to change that.

* * *

**Meanwhile**

Having sent Max off to grab some coffee, Chloe took a seat in the classroom that was starting to become familiar. It had been a while since she was in a learning setting, kicked out of school a while back now. Unlike at Blackwell, the people here seemed to genuinely care about their students. A nice change.

She was glad to know that Max was in good company where her powers were concerned. Having to deal with them pretty much on her own had been tough. Even with all the help, it would take years to get it completely under control. Hopefully, she would be able to use it without passing out every five seconds.

"So, are you and Max, like, dating or something?" A familiar voice suddenly asked, bringing Chloe out of her thought.

She looked up to see Fran, the shapeshifter of the group, taking a seat beside her. Gerry wasn't within eyesight, maybe in the bathroom or having a chat with Jac before class started.

"That obvious, huh?" Chloe chuckled softly at the direct question. It's not like they had been hiding it or anything.

"Pretty hard not to notice. Although, I am perceptive." Fran grinned proudly. "I think it's nice. She needs someone right now. I have my sister, Resh has Trip whether he likes it or not, and Max has you. And vice versa. We all have each other's backs, but we all need someone closer than that."

"You know, you're smarter than I was at fifteen." Chloe had done a lot of stupid things in her mid-teens. It only got worse as time passed.

"Yeah?"

"Definitely. I was out getting into trouble left, right and center." That was and understatement and a half. "By that point, I was pretty much a lost cause. Maybe I still am."

Fran shook her head, smiling sadly. "I don't think so. While I don't know the details, I think you can pull through. We all can. Me and my sister, we… someone tried to control us, use our power for bad, but we escaped. Saved ourselves from some pretty serious stuff. I don't even want to think about what would've happened if we'd stayed. One thing I know for certain, we wouldn't have been  _us_ anymore. Scary thought."

"Well, shit, makes my problems seem trivial," the bluenette muttered to herself.

The younger girl shrugged. They shouldn't compare each other's pain. "We all have our burdens to bear, and hopefully overcome one day. Like I said before, finding someone to share that with, family, friends, partners, makes it a hell of a lot easier."

"That it does. Anyway, enough with the sappy stuff, let's cause some havoc," Chloe added, keen to get the pranking started. "Up for some mischief? Things around here need mixing up. Keep everyone on their toes."

"I'm totally in!" Fran exclaimed excitedly, rubbing her hands together with anticipation. They muttered amongst themselves, formulating a plan.

With everything decided on Chloe called out to Max, who seemed to be taking her sweet time. "Max, is that coffee coming anytime soon? Don't make me come drape you over my shoulder caveman style."

"Coming," she shouted back.

Poor Max would be in for a surprise when she returned to the classroom. A prank involving a suddenly moving chair.


	14. Healer of All Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise meeting with Erin unveils some interesting developments.

**Chapter Fourteen: Healer of All Wounds**

**A Week Later - After Class**

Leaving Chloe to pack her things up for the day, Max made a quick detour to the bathroom. Standing in front of the sink, she splashed her face with cold water. The droplets rolled down her face, refreshing. A similar scenario put her in this situation.

She was slowly getting into the swing of things around here. Sure, it was still a little strange to hang around people who not only knew about her power but had their own too. She hadn't used her powers much recently, wanting to make sure she was fully recovered before messing around with them too much. She didn't want a repeat of that week she discovered her rewind. Nosebleeds and blackouts were not her idea of fun.

Jac had agreed, knowing first-hand how time travel could affect someone. It was better to wait than try to force it, again something she knew from trial and error. Drying her face off with some paper towels, she exhaled deeply and exited the bathroom.

"Max." She turned on her heel at the sound of her name, coming face to face with Erin. "Sorry to ambush you like this, but… I need a word with you when it's convenient. Shouldn't take longer than say an hour."

Not seeing a reason why she couldn't, Max decided to get it over with today. "Now might be okay. Lemme just go check and see if Chloe can amuse herself for that long."

Before she could run off, Erin stopped her. "Actually, if she's available I'd like to speak with her too."

"Okay, I'll just go see then." Turning back, Max went to go and find Chloe. It didn't take long at all. She was still in the classroom chatting away to the others. When she noticed Max, she said her goodbyes and returned to her side. "Chloe, Erin wants to talk to us."

"Ooh, has the schoolgirl been bad," Chloe teased lightly, knowing that definitely wasn't the case. Unlike her, Max was a good student. "If you're getting called up with me, you're in trouble."

The joke did make her feel a little nervous. "Shit, I hope not."

"Well, let's go find out," Chloe took her hand and led them both to Erin's office.

Exhaling deeply, Max followed behind. She was starting to get a hang of the HQ's layout now and didn't get quite so lost as she did the first couple of days. In no time, they were in the correct hallway. Walking past numerous doors, some of which were classrooms, others storage spaces and a few offices, they finally came to the right one.

Swallowing her anxiety, Max knocked on the door and was invited inside. Erin's office wasn't much bigger than Kat and Jac's shared space. The difference was, she only had to worry about her own mess, aka a ton of paperwork and files. Both of them took a seat in front of the desk, waiting for the older blonde to finish up what she was doing.

"I've seen you guys at the coffee machine a lot, so here." Glancing up from her work, Erin handed them each a cup full to the brim of hot coffee, the good stuff too. Next, she slid two chocolate muffins across the desk. "Oh, and these too. You wouldn't think it but Felix is great at baking. He doubles up at the cafeteria sometimes. More so now with budgets coming at a heavier price each time. Well worth the queue, as you'll find out."

"Maybe I should get sent the headmistress' office more often." Chloe grinned, taking the gift. "If only Blackwell had a similar system."

"Then they would've seen you more if that's even possible." Max accepted the food as well, smiling gratefully as her stomach rumbled. "You didn't have to do that, but thanks."

Erin returned the smile, warm yet tired. "I know, I just appreciate you taking the time to come see me. And now I've bribed you," she added playfully, giving them a wink to let them know she was in fact joking.

"That you have," Max chuckled, taking a sip of the coffee and nibbling at the muffin. Erin hadn't been lying, it was pretty tasty.

Chloe shrugged, taking a big bite from the top of her own muffin. "Hey, so long as it's food, I'll pretty much do anything."

"Don't go putting ideas into my head." The older woman chuckled, letting them finish their mouthfuls before speaking again. "Seriously though, thanks for dropping by. I would have had you both in sooner, but we've all been busy."

"You can say that again," the young time traveler agreed, trying not to get crumbs everywhere.

Sitting back in her chair, Erin's expression shifted to something more serious. "Now, to business. We'll start with Max first. Since you're mostly settled now, I have a few questions about your powers. I would appreciate full disclosure, but I understand if that isn't possible. Some wounds are too raw after all. The more I know, the more I can help you. That's all I'll say on the matter."

Max had been expecting something like this to come up sooner or later. Lying probably wouldn't do her any favors now. Erin seemed like a decent enough person, the others involved in the HAWKE program too. They seemed to really care.

"I'll try."

Noticing the change in atmosphere, Chloe reached out for Max's hand, holding it under the table and giving it a light squeeze, something the young time traveler was grateful for. So long as Chloe was here, she could do anything, endure any pain or hardship.

"That's all I can ask." Erin gave her an appreciative smile, taking a sip of her own drink before continuing. "So, how did your powers come about?"

Mentally preparing herself to retell the story, or a summary of it at least, Max began. "Well, I had just moved back to my childhood home town, Arcadia Bay, to study photography. After class about a month after getting there, I went to the bathroom. There was a butterfly and I took a picture." Now started the tough part, where all this had begun. Sighing deeply, she pressed on ahead. "Then… someone came in, a guy. Nathan Prescott. I stayed hidden, listening to him mutter to himself. I did hope he would leave but… he was waiting for someone. A girl. At the time, I didn't realize who it was. Spoiler alert, it was Chloe. She'd changed so much since I last saw her. We hadn't spoken since I left."

Erin nodded, taking the information in. "Guess you were meant to meet up again, huh?"

"We sure were," Chloe agreed softly, her grip tightening on Max's hand.

Glancing over at the bluenette, her look bittersweet, Max continued. "Anyway, she'd gotten involved in some shit with him, she tried blackmailing him and… it didn't end well. She… she got shot." That word was difficult to say. Even the thought of Chloe almost dying was… beyond heart breaking.

Shaking her head solemnly, Erin's expression turned sympathetic but not in a patronizing way, more like she truly understood the burden. "Oh, Max… that's terrible. I'm so sorry."

Max wiped at her eyes, accepting the tissue she was offered. "It was. That's when my power kicked in. I rewound and found myself back in the classroom, confused as hell. Not wanting to risk it, I went to the bathroom again and… hit the fire alarm to stop the same thing happening again."

"You saved her, then," Erin surmised correctly.

"In more ways than one," Chloe confirmed, trying hard not to cry herself.

The young time traveler nodded, going into greater detail. Talking about this was weird and sad, but… maybe it was what she needed. "That was the first time. Later on, I told the principal about Nathan waving a gun in the girl's bathroom. He must've heard about that because he confronted m. Then out of nowhere, Chloe swoops in with her truck to save the day, nearly running me over in the process, I might add. That's when we both realized who the other was."

Imagining the scenario, Erin warmed her hands on her mug. "Bet that was a shock."

The blue-haired punk muttered to herself, still holding on tight to Max's hand. "That's putting it mildly."

Realizing that she might need to continue her explanation, and that she was okay with that for the moment, Max pushed ahead again. "We hadn't… parted on the best of terms, mostly my fault. It was very awkward. We went to her house and she told me about a friend of hers who had gone missing, Rachel Amber. So, we spent the next week searching, as well as me being haunted by visions of a storm coming to swallow Arcadia up."

Chloe tensed at Rachel's name, feeling the familiar pang of loss threaten to overwhelm her. What she wouldn't give to speak to the enigmatic blonde just one more time… even after everything she had found out about her. Even if she was angry, Rachel didn't deserve that awful fate. No way.

Erin waited patiently, wondering if Max was going to continue. She would completely understand if she didn't want to say anymore. Nearly every single person who walked through HQ's door had a story to tell. Ranging from abandonment to injury and even death; it was a sad affair. Very few came without burden and if they did, it didn't last long. As much as they all tried to protect each other from the harsh reality of the outside world, it would inevitably catch up.

This was the part that got tricky to put into words, but Max did her best. "Long story short, Rachel was dead. Killed by a teacher at my school. He also… shot Chloe dead and kidnapped me. Using my power, I managed to stop him but… the storm was still there. I had a choice, save Arcadia or… save Chloe. Guess it's obvious which I chose. That's about it."

Not even caring that Erin could see, Chloe put an arm around her… whatever Max was to her now, placing a kiss on her forehead. Erin didn't react, she had suspected as much. She was glad Max had found a shred of happiness in the ocean of despair caused by her powers. It was all any of them could hope for. Something to make the pain worthwhile, or durable at least.

"Thank you for telling me, Max." Noting the guilt on Max's face, a look and feeling Erin knew well, she tried to give her some comfort. "For the record, I don't think you were wrong. We've all done things we're not proud of, hurt people. I know for a fact that in your position, everyone around here would have done the same. I would have, Jac and Kat definitely would have, Quinn and Felix too. As horrible as it is, we're only human. We make mistakes. It's little comfort, I know."

If it was anyone other than those involved in the program or Chloe telling her that, she might get mad. People like Erin knew how tough it was, Max could tell by her eyes. She had seen some horrible shit in her time.

"I just… wish things had been different, you know. That I could save them all."

Erin shifted in her seat, ready to drop a bombshell. "Listen, our powers might influence our surroundings, but they only amplify what's already there. Well, in most cases. Depends on the power."

That made Max and Chloe pay attention, both asking the same question at the same time. "What are you saying?"

Tapping her fingernails on the now empty cup, she explained herself. "I'm saying that storm was coming anyway. We've had an eye on the Oregon area for a while now. There were highly irregular patterns of activity for weeks, growing fluctuations."

"So… whatever I had done, the storm was coming anyway," Max managed, trying to get her head around this.

For so long, she had assumed the storm was all her fault, her sole creation, but maybe it wasn't  _all_  down to her.

"What the actual fuck?!" Chloe couldn't help but shout, immediately regretting it and clearing her throat awkwardly. "Sorry, bit of a shock."

Erin waved away her apology, continuing as if nothing had happened. "Your actions may have brought the date forward but yes, that's what I'm saying. A storm of that magnitude takes weeks, months even to form. Not a single week. No matter what you did in that time."

"If I had… I nearly killed Chloe for nothing." The realization hit her hard, like a gut punch. Chloe seemed just as stunned by the news.

"But you didn't, Max," Erin firmly reminded. "Instead, you saved her, made a difference. We can't control everything, but we  _can_  change our fate to a degree."

Needing something else to focus on right now, she switched topic. "Can I ask you something? What's your power?"

"Curious, are we?" She seemed to be thinking it over, deciding on answering the question honestly. "I guess there's no harm telling you. Not like it's a real secret or anything. I can see and communicate with the dead. Weird, I know. I'm not some pay-per-view medium, might be easier if I was. The first time I realized I could do it, oh was that a shock." She cast her mind back, the troubled memory pushing its way to the front of her mind. "My father died when I was fifteen, stabbed in the street on his way back from work. Lasted a good few hours before he died of excessive blood loss. Hit me and my mom real hard. Guess you can imagine how surprised I was when I visited his grave the day after his burial and could see him standing there, clear as day."

"That's… trippy." Chloe almost sounded jealous of the opportunity.

Being able to speak to her dad again, even once, would mean the world to her. Not just him, either. She might be able to talk to Rachel again, get some closure. Maybe she could ask about it sometime and maybe Erin could help her. Now wasn't the time for that, though.

"You spoke to him?" Max prompted, giving Chloe's hand a comforting squeeze. She would probably be thinking about her dad right now too.

Erin nodded, allowing herself a sad smile. "Oh yes, well eventually. At first, I was scared out of my mind, worried that I was seeing things. Didn't stop me from visiting again, though. I found out a lot about my family during that time. He was like us, powered up. Told me that he got caught up in a bad crowd thanks to some loans he hadn't paid off with ridiculous interest. To pay them off he became a thief, used his powers to make it easier. He could blend into the shadows, not quite invisibility but close enough. Anyway, he did a heist without telling anyone, no cut for his 'employees'."

The older blonde paused, recalling the truth her father had exposed. It had been a bitter pill to swallow. Still, without that day she probably wouldn't be here now, helping others like her.

"My birthday was coming up and he… he wanted to get something special. Sixteen was a big one, he used to say anyway." Her voice broke as she said that, guilt flooding her features. She shook it off, focusing on retelling her experience. "He got pretty much nothing from his job just enough to give us the basics, he was working off a debt after all. Mom was working too, all her money going to bail him out. Apparently, she knew he was in trouble and worked tirelessly to get him straight. Needless to say, someone in the gang found out. They weren't best pleased with the betrayal and… well, you can guess what came next. He never expected it."

To Max, it appeared that none of them had an easy ride getting to this point. "Shit, I can't even imagine how horrible that must have been."

"No more than anything you've been through, I'm sure. Or anyone else here for that matter. Anyway, moving onto Chloe." Erin turned to the bluenette. This would be a cheerier topic to cover she suspected. "There was a specific reason we let you onto the program, you know. We don't just let anyone on."

"To make Max join up, right? Provide some protection. I already know that," Chloe stated confidently, still not sure what she was getting at.

Erin gave her a smile, giving nothing away. "Yes and no. While that was one reason behind your induction, it wasn't the only one."

"There's another reason?" Chloe asked, surprised by the response. She hadn't been expecting there to be any other reason. Max too seemed just as shocked.

"There is, yes. It's only a theory for now and would require a bit of testing to confirm, nothing too strenuous, but I think it would help you both." Max and Chloe exchanged confused glances as she continued. "We have a few theories about power users, some of which I'm sure you are aware. One interesting possibility is how those with powers are… drawn to one another."

"I've heard it briefly, yeah." She remembered Max telling her about it a few days ago. From Max's expression, she seemed to recall the discussion too. "What's that gotta do with me?"

Keeping them in suspense for a while longer, Erin took her time explaining. "More than you might think. Our abilities come in many forms as you have no doubt seen. Time travel, control over elements, shapeshifting, superhuman regeneration and dreamwalking to name but a few. We're always finding more with each set of people who walks through this place."

"Yeah, so?"

Resting her head on her hand, Erin looked the young girl straight in the eyes. "We have reason to believe that not all these abilities are actively performed. Some are passive, so subtle that the user themselves might not even realize they had something there."

Max's eyes went wide with realization. "Are you saying that…?"

Already knowing what she was going to say, Erin nodded. "I think it is very possible that Chloe could be one of those people. Unfortunately, it's not anything as cool as throwing fireballs at people, scouting people's dreams or turning into a wolf, but it is extraordinary and valuable nonetheless."

For a moment, Chloe didn't say anything. If this was true, she would be the same as Max. Well, not quite but closer than she once thought. When her words finally caught up with her thoughts, she asked excitedly. "What do you think I can do?"

"Act as a booster," Erin replied simply. "You were around to kickstart Max's powers."

"Yeah, she…" Chloe glanced over at Max, who stared right back at her, "saved me."

Knowing the basic outline of the story, Erin began explaining the reasoning behind the theory. "Strange that she would return to her hometown at the exact moment she needed to, don't you think? That she was in the right place at the right time. The stronger the emotional connection, the larger the pull towards another powered up human." She let them digest that for a few seconds before pressing forward. "I think your boosting power works primarily with Max, at the very least it would interact the strongest with her. It may affect other people's powers, especially if they are similar. Like Kat or Jac for example. It would take testing to check this out as I've already mentioned, but I'm pretty confident."

Chloe sat there, stunned. She slid her beanie off her head, running her fingers through blue locks. "Well, shit… that's hella insane."

"Wowser," Max cut in with her catchphrase.

"Not only do I think you can act as a booster but also a damper on the after effects, make the physical toll less severe." That would be a particularly useful skill to have for obvious reasons. "This ability may take some practice, of course, and may develop in unexpected ways. In time, who knows where that passive ability may lead you."

Giving her a long, hard stare to see if she was taking the piss, Chloe suddenly slumped back in her chair defeated. "Damn… you sure you aren't fucking with me?"

That made Erin smile in amusement. "I fuck you not." The smile faded slightly as she returned to the task at hand. "I mentioned tests before. This is something I would like to keep off the record for the time being. There have been a few… complications with our 'sponsors', let's call them that. All the other words I'm thinking of aren't nearly as diplomatic. We need our advantages. I won't force you or Max to do anything you don't want to. In fact, you may wish to practice on your own time, but I would encourage you to try and figure it all out. We can offer a controlled environment and more precise attention if you prefer. As you can imagine, it will help Max a great deal, others too if you decide."

Still in shock and awe, Chloe managed to string a semi-coherent sentence together. "Never thought I was jacked up on powers too… wish it'd been something cooler, but I guess beggars can't be choosers."

"As I said, it is possible this ability could develop into something else," Erin reminded her. "It's very possible this is a gateway to another power, like a pre-download. Being around other power users will help your potential ability to grow. Again, it's only a theory but I am confident in it."

"Have there been others like me?" Chloe questioned, wanting to know more about her possible semi-latent power.

Erin nodded in response. "Yes, although this is the first time we've been able to really investigate the possibility. No pressure, of course, just something to be aware of. Truth be told, we need all the advantages we can get."

Max didn't like the way she said that, like she was expecting trouble. "Is the situation that bad right now?"

"Not for the moment, but it could get much worse." Not wanting to hide it from them, Erin decided to reveal a part of the situation to them. "We have government, sponsor and outside pressure coming from all angles in great force. It's been that way for years. This is just a renewed surge of the same old bullshit. I just like to be prepared. Anyway, enough boardroom politics. If things go south, you guys will be the first to know. We have plans in place for if that possibility occurs."

"So, you think it might," Chloe pressed, sounding just as worried as Max felt.

Sighing deeply, the older woman answered truthfully. "Possibly. It's been like this pretty much since starting this damn project. Somehow, we've managed to keep everyone at bay this long. Whether it'll last much longer… I truly don't know. I really hope so and I'll do everything within my power to keep this thing running in our favor."

Max bit her lip, hoping that it wouldn't come to Plan B. "Well, I hope so too."

The last thing any of them needed was further complications. Of course, that wasn't up to them at the end of the day. They just had to hope they would get lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah, guess some of you won’t be too surprised with this chapter. Good guessing :p Have an awesome day and see you next time.


	15. (Un)dress for Success

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While security is increasing at the HAWKE facility, for Max and Chloe some guards are being broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, brief summary of previous chapters:
> 
> After sacrificing Arcadia Bay, Max and Chloe head to the Caulfield family house. Max's power use do not go unnoticed, however. Kaitlynn "Kat" Roscoe and Jacqueline "Jac" Holt – time traveling agents of the HAWKE initiative, a training programme for power users – persuade Max to join up, with Chloe.
> 
> Among their classmates are: Trip – seventeen, superhuman healing; Resh – sixteen, manipulator of fire; Fran – sixteen, shapeshifter; and Gerry – fifteen, dream walker. Trip was homeless and beaten up in the street. Resh came along, setting his assailant on fire – shocked when Trip came back from the brink of death. Fran and Gerry are siblings, recently having escaped from a group trying to manipulate their powers. They are not the only ones to have experienced such a fate.
> 
> Powers users are believed to attract one another, leading Erin – one of the initial creators of the HAWKE initiative, able to communicate with the dead – to suspect Chloe too possesses some kind of latent power.
> 
> With government and external pressure, the situation has become more volatile, demands on power users becoming more and more unreasonable and inhumane. How long will Erin and the others be able to stem the tide or will they need to fight against the current?

**Chapter Fifteen: (Un)dress for Success**

**Security Office**

Felix examined each monitor carefully, checking for suspicious activity. Erin had him on high alert for trouble, increasing his workload. To be fair, she hadn't left it all to him, making sure she was personally involved in the effort. As had the others, such as Jen, Alfie and HNTR itself. Between them, they had been working on new security measures to ensure the system was safe. The whole thing was due an update anyway. Still, it was a huge job.

The door to the security office burst open, no knock. Only one person came in and out as they pleased like that. Felix turned to see exactly who he had expected, Quinn.

"Ugh, how much more is Erin going to up security by?" the ginger man asked, frustrated. "I've already been searched fifty times today and my medical bay all but ransacked."

Knowing that Quinn could get dramatic, Felix chuckled at his childish behavior. "She's just being careful, you know that."

Letting out a deep sigh, Quinn shoved his hands in the pockets of his white overcoat. "Yeah, but I thought she trusted me."

Rolling his shoulders, Felix sat back in his chair. "She does; it's just a precaution."

"She has a funny way of showing it… I guess my work station is considered high risk," he conceded reluctantly.

"There's a lot of sensitive information and equipment stored here," Felix reminded his friend. "Better safe than sorry."

"I wouldn't mind so much if you were doing the searches," Quinn mentioned with a grin, one that faded almost as soon as it had arrived. "Instead, I got that scary woman."

There was only one person Quinn could mean by that. "Jen? She's not  _that_ scary."

"Enduring that woman's stare is like being frozen solid," Quinn replied with a melodramatic shudder.

Rolling his eyes, Felix smiled. "Stop being such a drama queen."

Quinn narrowed his eyes, not appreciating the dismissive demand. "See, that kind of comment only makes me want to complain more."

Smirking, the head of security turned to the lead medical co-ordinator. "I think someone might hit you if you keep whining – maybe me at this rate – and you might deserve it."

"Ouch, that hurts my feelings." Quinn tried to act hurt, failing miserably. "You'll have to think of a way to make it up to me, or you're getting the silent treatment."

Catching the melodramatic man's eye, Felix stroked his chin as if deep in thought. "I'm sure I can think of something. It'll have to wait, though."

Before Quinn could reply Erin walked in on their little conversation, expecting her security leader to be alone. "Felix… oh, hey Quinn, fancy meeting you here." She didn't even sound surprised.

Jabbing his thumb towards the Irish-accented doctor, Felix grinned. "Quinn was just complaining about the new security measures."

Attention turning to Quinn, Erin gave him an accusatory look. "Is that so?"

"No, maybe… okay, yes," he finally conceded, giving Felix an unappreciative glance for putting him in a difficult situation.

Her put on stern expression faded, giving way to complete understanding. "Listen, I get it. I don't like it either, but I'm not putting anyone at risk."

Quinn scratched his head, sighing tiredly. In this past week, he must have aged a good five years. "I get it, Erin, I really do. I just… wish it didn't  _have_ to be like that."

"You and me both, Quinn," she agreed, looking just as reluctant as he felt.

They were some  _very_ dangerous people out there, worse than any government related pressure. It seemed that after years of silence, they had come out of retirement. Fran and Gerry's experience proved that much, and who knew how many others had been exploited.

Changing the subject, Felix turned to the tall blonde. "Anyway, you wanted to see me, I assume?"

Snapping out of her daze, Erin nodded. "Yes, I just wanted to see how you were getting on."

"What, no extra work?" Felix asked with a broad grin.

That was a fair assumption to make. "Surprisingly, no. A miracle, I know."

"I'm dealing with it. Don't worry about me. Worry about the drama queen over here," he motioned towards Quinn, who stuck his tongue out defiantly.

Chuckling, Erin glanced between the two men she considered her friends. Friends were in short supply these days.

* * *

**Meanwhile, Max and Chloe's Apartment**

After their joint meeting with Erin, Max and Chloe went home. It had been a long, confusing day for the pair of them. Just when they thought they had seen and heard it all, another bombshell hit. The possibility of Chloe having a power, too… it was strange.

For so long, Max had felt alone in her power ownership. If this experience had taught her anything, it was that she sure as hell wasn't alone. In the minority, yes; alone, no.

"Hey, you think all that shit Erin told us was true?" Chloe asked, sounding hopeful as they prepared dinner, a simple pasta dish. Not even she could live off pizza and takeaways forever.

Max chopped an onion, fighting against her watery eyes. "About you having a latent power? I don't see why she would tell us if she wasn't sure."

Thinking it over, Chloe began cutting up some tomatoes. "I guess you're right. Still, makes me wonder."

Transferring the now chopped onion into an oiled-up pan, Max gathered together the other ingredients they would need. "Well, we can try it sometime. It'd be good to know our options."

Soon enough, dinner was ready to serve up. The pair grabbed a serving, moving over to the lounge to eat. Having a freshly cooked meal was a nice change. Chloe finished first, as usual, with Max trailing behind. Eventually, there were two clean bowls.

"I wonder what power I'm gonna get. Hope it's something cool," Chloe pondered as she moved their now empty bowls onto the small coffee table.

"Dare I ask what you would define as 'cool'?" Max asked as she sank back into the couch. From her experience, Chloe's idea of 'cool' equaled trouble and danger.

Grinning, the bluenette began rattling off her wish list. "Oh, I have a long list. I mean, invisibility would be awesome. Imagine the possibilities… I could do all kinds of shit and nobody would even know."

"Except me and like everyone at the facility. You're too loud to have invisibility as a power." As far as Max could tell, powers seemed to be somewhat related to personality.

Chloe gave her a look of playful disapproval. "I would so hit you if that wasn't true. Maybe, I dunno, super strength or something, so I can hulk out."

"That seems more likely," Max agreed. "Although, I would be scared to see you in a full-on hulk rage mode."

"As you should be." A flash of inspiration crossed Chloe's face then, swiftly followed by excitement. "Ooh, maybe I could have laser vision or some shit."

Rolling her eyes, Max lightly shoved the blue-haired punk's shoulder. "Do you  _always_  have to be so destructive?"

Immediately, Chloe returned the shove. "Hey, you were the one who said invisibility wouldn't suit me. I'm just making more appropriate suggestions."

The last thing any of them needed was for Chloe to have a power she could cause unfathomable mischief and damage with. "Let's hope for all our sakes you  _don't_ get anything like that."

"I guess my irresistible charm will have to make do for now." Chloe grinned, gently pushing Max back on the couch and straddling her.

There was something very… intense and intimate about the action, sending Max's mind into overdrive, confusion running rampant. "Ch-Chloe?"

"What, want me to stop?" When Max didn't reply, Chloe changed tact. She wanted to make sure, get definite confirmation. "Do you want me to continue, Max?"

"I…" There was only one answer to that question, as embarrassing as it was to admit. "Y-yeah, I do."

Noting the slight hesitation, Chloe put her mind at ease. "Don't worry. I won't push you too far, promise. I just… there's shit I want to do with you,  _to_  you, and I know I said we would take this slow – and we still can – but…"

Realizing Chloe was just as nervous as she was, Max reached up to cup her cheek. "Chloe, it's okay."

That made the blue-haired punk smile, uncertainty fading away as she leaning into Max's touch. "You almost sounded convincing there."

Looking up at her childhood best friend, hoping she would understand, Max cautiously continued. "I guess I'm… kinda scared, if I'm honest. This is all new to me. The only reason I'm not completely paralyzed with fear is that… I trust you, and I want to… well, I'm sure you get the idea."

A shit eating grin tugged at Chloe's lips as she responded. "Hmm… not quite sure I do."

"Ha, ha…  _so_ not funny." Max should have expected that. "My point is, I'm done hesitating. I did it before and I almost lost the one person I could never live without before I could even figure out all the complicated feelings. Some of them, anyway. There's still a lot I'm not sure about."

Instead of teasing her further, Chloe simply smiled sympathetically. "You're not the only one. Ever since we got back together, things have been fucking insane. So far, you're the only thing that's made sense to me."

"Aw, you can be sweet when you try," Max teased lightly. "Under that punk exterior lies a true, sappy romantic."

"Shut up, Caulfield," Chloe demanded playfully as she switched HNTR onto its sleep mode, silencing her mockery with a kiss.

Max gladly received and reciprocated the kiss, ignoring the irrelevant, self-doubting thoughts in her mind. She felt Chloe's tongue effortlessly slide into her mouth, exploring. As unlikely as this situation may have seemed, it was happening. After everything they had been through, they deserved this much.

Chloe broke the kiss, pulling her top over her head, exposing most of her torso. The tri-bullet necklace hung down from her neck, resting near her sternum. She noticed Max's eyes darting around, not sure where to focus. They kept returning to the punk's newly uncovered skin, almost looking guilty for peeking. As for her hands, the shy hipster  _really_ didn't know what to do there.

Shaking her head, the bluenette gently took hold of Max's hand, placing them firmly on her body. "See, nothing to be afraid of."

Max looked up at her, blue eyes uncertain. This was her first time doing anything like this, already nerve-wracking enough without it being with her childhood best friend. Maybe it was scarier  _because_ it was Chloe. All of this was new territory between them, make or break. One thing Max did know: if she didn't try, she'd never know. She was so tired of looking back all the time.

Chloe shuddered as Max's hands began clumsily wandering along her pale skin, mapping out the contours and dips diligently. This was kind of weird… in a good way, the best kind. It felt like a long time coming. If things between them had been left to progress naturally – without the devastating loss of William or Max's sudden move to Seattle – maybe this conclusion would have been reached sooner. Their childhood closeness could have easily turned into something much more intimate given the chance. Just like now.

When Max's fingertips brushed against the bottom of Chloe's bra, her hand recoiled like she was afraid she would get burned if she lingered too long. She was surprised when she felt Chloe's hand on hers, stopping her from retreating.

Taking the hand, Chloe placed a kiss on the back of her palm and spoke in a soft, low voice. "Max, it's okay. I want you to touch me. Please, don't worry. Just do what you want and I'll be sure to let you know if there's something I don't like, okay? Don't decide for me or try to second guess how I'll feel. Not again."

The way Chloe was looking at her right now – pleading, concerned, reassuring, longing – set Max's mind at ease. Her heart, that was a different matter entirely. Nodding, she returned her hands to their previous position, continuing to explore. This time, when she reached bra territory she didn't shy away.

Chloe's blue eyes closed, focusing on Max's touch. It was strange. Out of all the people she had got to this stage with, a few in her misspent youth, this felt totally different. Different from… Rachel. Reflecting her nature, Max was gentle and thorough. For some time, the young time traveler's hand remained still over the left-hand side of her chest.

"Got a favorite already, huh?" the bluenette asked wryly.

"What, no… it's not…" Max sighed deeply, combatting the blush slowly creeping onto her cheeks. "Your heart."

Chloe frowned. "What about it?"

"It's beating, faster than normal," Max remarked, hand fixed firmly in place. "I can sort of feel it. It's… reassuring."

Trying to lighten the mood, Chloe put her hand over Max's, holding it in place. "I swear, Caulfield, you are literally the only person in the world who would focus on something like that in this situation. Guess I wouldn't have you any other way."

Max began fiddling with the middle bullet of Chloe's necklace. "Took the words right out of my mouth."

Chloe went back to kissing her once more, hands gently tugging at clothing to test the waters. She didn't want to push Max too far out of her comfort zone, but she would be lying if she denied the desire to see more. In time, she wanted to cherish every single inch of skin, memorize every freckle and curve of her body.

Understanding what Chloe wanted, Max made a decision. She wanted the bluenette to see and touch more of her. They had already been in their underwear at the pool, but this was… different. She helped Chloe get her out of her worn hoodie, and then her top. The blue-haired punk took a moment to eye her up, Max resisting the overwhelming urge to cover up.

Leaning down, Chloe left a trail of light kisses on Max's skin. Starting from her lips, down her neck, in between her breasts, on her stomach… as tempting as it was to keep going down, Chloe returned to Max's lips. Bare skin rubbed as they kissed this time, a new sensation. Both girls found themselves wanting more, pressing harder into one another as their tongues danced to an unspoken tune. Bodies warm and tingling.

Chloe pulled back abruptly, voice low. "Max… if we're going to stop, now would be a good time before I get too carried away."

Part of Max wanted to say 'Fuck it' and just continue. She wasn't quite ready, though. "Okay, let's stop for now, then."

Nodding, Chloe exhaled deeply to calm herself down before curling up beside Max on the couch. They just about fitted, their faces inches apart and legs entangled.

"Um, kissing's still okay to do, right?" Max asked hesitantly, not wanting to end this just yet.

"Stupid question," Chloe whispered as she fulfilled the request, keeping it more restrained this time.

At least she knew Max was interested in taking this further, good thing too. Otherwise, Chloe might explode from unresolved desire one day. She liked Max so fucking much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gettin' that Pricefield in ;) Here's to more in future chapters. Have an awesome day and see you next time.


	16. Live in the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, it's impossible to escape the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, an update! If you want a quick reminder of the previous chapters, check the last chapter. There is a brief summary of the first 14 chapters at the start and then just re-read that one. Or read it all again, if you really want.

**Chapter Sixteen: Live in the Past**

**The Next Day – Morning**

Slowly, Max regained consciousness. It was becoming less and less weird to wake up in this place. She was starting to get used to it, being here on her own. Well, with Chloe. That timely mental reminder made her look over at the blue-haired punk. Snuggled close, she lightly snored.

It made her think about their childhood sleepovers, fond memories…

* * *

_**Price House, Spring 2007** _

_It was Chloe's turn to host their epic weekly sleepover. In reality, it was more like every other day they crashed at each other's houses. Weekends were always special occasions, though. With no school to attend, they could spend the whole day together._

_Not only that but often their parents would go out somewhere leaving them alone. Those were the best times, able to do whatever they wanted… so long as they left no evidence. That was something they had improved upon over the years._

_As customary, they had spent a good hour gathering up every single pillow and blanket in the house to construct their pillow fort. Max had managed to sneak a few over from her home, well sneak was a strong word. She tried to smuggle them out unseen, failing. Her parents totally saw her but passed a blind eye._

_Coming to the end of their building session, Chloe took a step back and grinned. "Not bad. Not bad at all, First Mate."_

_Max followed her lead, examining their work. "A pretty good attempt, Captain."_

_The blonde tilted her head slightly. "Hmm… I think it's missing something…"_

_Frowning, the young brunette tried to think of what. "What?"_

_No words, Chloe slid into the fort. "Us, silly."_

" _You're sillier than me," Max protested, joining her._

" _No-one is sillier than you, Max," the blonde countered. "And that's why we're friends."_

_Not sure whether to take that as a teasing remark or genuine comment, the shorter girl gave her a conflicted look. "You mean that?"_

" _Of course I do!" Chloe exclaimed, shuffling closer. "I wouldn't lie about that."_

" _One of the few things you wouldn't," Max smirked, getting a glare in response. "You know it's true."_

_Chloe shook her head, eager to correct. "I prefer being selective on the truth."_

" _Same thing," the brunette added._

" _Nope," her friend disagreed. "It's still the truth, mostly. Just picking and choosing."_

" _You're going to get in serious trouble doing that one day…" Max pointed out, a little worried._

" _Nah, not while you're here," Chloe replied with a grin. "You like never get in trouble, so people tend to believe me more."_

" _Wow, glad I mean so much." She hadn't meant it to sound like that, genuinely disheartened._

_Frowning slightly, Chloe put her arm around her friend. "Dude, it was a joke."_

_Max sighed. "I know. I guess I'm just extra crispy sensitive today."_

_Seeming conflicted, the impish expression faded. "I hang out with you because you're cool."_

" _Pfft. Like I believe that," she scoffed. "I am hardly cool."_

" _Are too," the taller girl countered. "If I say it, it's gotta be true. I'm not gonna be friends with someone lame. So, trust my judgment."_

_Unable to help herself, Max smiled. "Okay, I trust you."_

_Chloe faltered, glancing away for a second. "Well… good. I trust you too."_

_On instinct, the brunette felt her grin widen. Being with Chloe was the best._

* * *

Suddenly, it turned darker and a gush of air caressed her skin as the blanket eclipsed her head. She focused back on reality, coming face to face with a sleepy yet smiley Chloe Price. "Hey, beautiful."

The unexpected greeting made her blush. "What?"

Her red cheeks made Chloe chuckle. "Damn, red as your hair."

"Am not," the redhead protest, covering her cheeks.

Chloe wouldn't let her, grabbing her wrists and holding them down. "No way. I'm not letting you hide away from me."

That was when Max noticed they were both in their underwear, last night's antics running through her mind. They'd barely even done anything and it still made her embarrassed as hell. She wished she could be cool and collected, like she imagined Rachel Amber would be in this situation.

She frowned slightly at that. Something Chloe picked up on. "Max, what's going on in that head of yours?"

Wanting to be open, but also not wanting to drag up the past, she sighed. "Just wishing I wasn't so damn nervous all the time."

"Aw, but it's cute," the bluenette lightly teased. "And you'll get there. It might not seem like it sometimes, but I get nervous too. I'm just better at hiding it."

Blue eyes met, lips brushing together for a morning kiss. It made Max's heart flutter. To think that she'd even considered giving Chloe up…

When they broke apart, the punk's eyes wandered down over pale freckled skin. She didn't want to look  _too_ much like a perv, but it was hard to ignore the fact that Max was just in her underwear. Not only that but because of the circumstances surrounding her unusual bedwear.

Max noticed her staring, resisting the urge to fold in on herself. Instead, she figured she may as well do the same to Chloe. Her gaze was more hesitant, taking in the colorful tattoo running along her blue-haired friend's arm and the belly button piercing. All new things.

Almost at the same time, their eyes met again recognizing their current situation. Spending a little more time snuggling up, they eventually slid out of bed. Not bothering to get dressed yet, they went to the kitchen and made breakfast. Black coffee and pancakes.

Slathering her stack in syrup, Chloe tucked in. Max followed her lead, although her breakfast was less of a sugar overload. This was slowly becoming their routine, new elements added over time.

A buzz and electronic voice alerted Max to a new message on her HNTR device. "Max, Quinn has requested a check-up after classes today. Should I confirm?"

Seeing no reason why not, she nodded. "Sure, I'll be there."

Her blue eyes wandered back over to the bedroom, unable to see the drawer with the pills he'd given her right at the beginning. She had yet to use them. It wasn't that she didn't trust him – more like she didn't know him well enough – but it was mostly because she hadn't needed them.

Hopefully, she never would.

* * *

**Kat and Jac's Apartment**

When Jac woke up, Kat wasn't there. Normally, the other woman was snuggled up close until she really  _had_ to get up. That made the red-haired agent a little nervous. Unable to help the slight panic, she shot up out of bed and listened. Maybe she was just showering.

It was silent.

"HNTR, know where Kat is?" she asked the phone-like device on her bedside table.

"I do not," it responded. "She does not have her device on her. It's still in the drawer. She left about twenty minutes ago. I did try to greet her but she seemed… distracted."

Heart racing, she got up out of bed and entered the lounge. No Kat there. Same in the kitchen. Just as she was about to totally freak out, she felt a slight breeze. Gray eyes shifted over to the balcony door, praying that she would find her girlfriend there.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out onto the overhanging section. A sigh of relief escaped her lips when she saw the shorter woman there, smoking. It had been a while since she saw Kat smoke. In fact, when had been the last time? Weeks ago.

Cautiously, Jac approached Kat. She was staring out over the railing, off into the distance. The aura surrounding her was… off. Reminiscent of the old Kat, although nowhere  _near_ as bad. She just seemed sad now.

Not sure whether to interrupt, Jac snuck back inside and made some tea. Better to go with something.

When she returned, she didn't even need to announce her presence. Kat's head swiveled, almost dropping her cigarette. Stubbing it out, she let out a deep sigh. "Shit… you caught me. I promise this is my first one in…"

"No need to justify to me," Jac replied in a soft voice, holding out the mug. "Here."

With a slight smile, the dark-haired woman put her hands around Jac's on the cup, lingering before she took it. "Thanks. I… need this."

The taller woman brought her own mug over, sliding in beside Kat. Not too close, just in case she needed her space still. She put her forearms on the railing, staring at the same scene. It was pretty quiet this time in the morning.

Sighing, Kat scootched over and rested her head on her girlfriend's arm. "Even after all this time, you're still reluctant to invade my personal space, huh."

"Is that a bad thing?" Jac was certain the answer would be no.

Kat closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. "No. Not really. I actually appreciate it."

For years, people had invaded her personal space and privacy. Given her no choice. It felt nice to get to decide if she let someone get close or not. With Jac, it was always yes.

Swapping her mug over to the right hand, the pale woman put an arm around her. "But I shouldn't be quite so hesitant, right?"

This wasn't the first time they'd had this conversation and it probably wouldn't be the last.

"Right," Kat agreed, standing on her tiptoes to give Jac a peck on the cheek. "You know I like being close to you."

"Doesn't mean you will all the time," the gray-eyed redhead softly answered. "And that's okay."

That made Kat chuckle. "Love, have you ever known me to push you away… well, except that one time. But to be fair, I didn't even know you then. If I had, known what my life would be like now, I wouldn't have even resisted."

Jac took a sip of her tea. "Not like you were in the right frame of mind back then."

"True." Kat let her mind wander back for a moment.

It was rare to voluntarily let the past overwhelm her. With the news of Fran and Gerry's escape, it was harder to block it out. Back then, she felt nothing. They broke her, turned her into a tool. Abused her because of her power.

And then the day when it all changed.

* * *

_She had her mission. Her target._

_The only thing she lived for. There was nothing else. Maybe one time there used to be, no longer. They had made sure of that. A husk of her former self._

_No sadness, no anger, no fear. Empty. Numb._

_How many people had she killed now? She'd lost count after the first ten or so. Must be at least double that now, if not triple. Probably more._

_It didn't affect her anymore. Not like before. Her first kill, she could remember the words and expression her target had given as a way of pleading for their life. Whereas at the time she had cried, now she just considered them all numbers._

_Done considering irrelevant memories, she moved stealthily towards her destination. She had to go through the woods to remain undetected, the man she was supposed to kill a total security freak. No wonder, since there had been multiple unsuccessful attempts at his life._

_Today, he would die._

_Crouching, she moved swiftly through the undergrowth barely making a sound. Getting out of her cell-like room was pretty much the only thing she had to look forward to, and even then she had to focus on the mission. She tried running away multiple times, ending in… black eyes and broken bones._

_Again, she felt nothing. It had been beaten out of her a long time ago. Crying didn't help her. The only thing that did was doing what they said. Then they left her alone._

_Rapidly approaching her target, she slightly extended her hand. At the right time, she would freeze everything, get in close and fulfill her hit. It would take no time at all. Not for the man she murdered today._

_Taking a deep breath, she waited for the right moment. She kept an eye on the time, counting down each second. Without this watch grounding her, she would have no clue what time it was. That was the thing about her power, easy to lose track._

_Target in sight, she closed her eyes and tugged on the visible threads of time. Split them open at the seams. As always, it resisted at first, almost seeming to scream in her head as she tore the line apart. Raw time energy bled from the open wound, everything around her slowing to a stop._

_Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a figure. They wore some kind of mask, a gun attached to a holster on their belt. Growling like a wild animal, Kat – nobody called her that anymore, but she still remembered her old name – lashed out at the person who tried to sabotage her mission. The figure dodged out of the way, sweeping their leg under her feet. She jumped over it, aiming a kick at their head._

_They moved at the last second, but she did manage to kick the mask clean off. Before her stood a tall woman, red hair and gray eyes. "Wait, I don't want to fight."_

_Kat tensed, like a snake coiling up to strike. "Then you shouldn't have come."_

_No more words, she surged forward and aimed a punch to the other woman's gut. With ease, the redhead grabbed her hand and used the momentum to flip her. Kat managed to land on her feet, crouched. It was rare for someone to even get close to matching her combat skills._

" _There's no need to do this," the mystery woman called out. "I just want to talk."_

_Everybody just 'wanted to talk'. And then what happened? They hit her when she didn't agree, tore her apart and put her back together again. Instead, she rushed forward. This time she focused on the woman, ready to freeze her in place and get a clear shot. For whatever reason, it didn't work._

_What the fuck? This had never happened before._

_Caught off guard, she didn't even register the takedown until she was on the ground and the other woman was pinning her down. She was so strong, no amount of wriggling helping loosen her hold._

" _Get OFF me!" Kat hissed like a caged animal._

_Her assailant remained calm, holding her down with enough force to restrain but not too much to hurt her. Eventually, Kat ran out of steam. The first time she had ever been bested since doing their bidding. She had broken bulky men like matchsticks, yet she couldn't even land a proper hit on this one woman._

_In a way, this was better. This way, she could finally escape. If someone killed her out on the field, they couldn't capture her again. Couldn't revive her, stitch up self-inflicted wounds._

" _Do it…" she whispered. "Kill me."_

_The woman didn't speak for a moment, voice soothing and steady. "I'm not going to do that."_

" _DO IT!" she screamed to the heavens, feeling something warm and wet run down her cheek._

_Tears. For the first time in years._

_She felt the pressure on her released, the woman getting off her. Normally, she would attack again but… she just curled up into a ball and cried. A tentative hand reached out, lightly placed on her back. Again, under any other circumstance, she would have snapped it in two._

_Instead, she launched herself at the woman who had so easily restrained her, buried her face and dug her fingers in. She felt arms wrap around her in return, hushed whispers of reassurance she could barely register. The first hug she'd had in… actually, she couldn't remember._

_Honestly, she didn't even realize she was being picked up and carried back to a black four-door car. A blonde woman sat in the driver's seat, giving the redhead a nod as she shifted the dark-haired girl into the back. She had passed out, still clinging on tight to the redhead's jacket._

_The blonde glanced back. "She okay, Jac?"_

_Jac glanced at the girl she had fought with moments before, feeling her heart sink. "Honestly Erin, I don't know."_

* * *

Finished with her tea, Kat moved inside with Jac. "I'm glad you kicked my ass that day. God, my face when my time freeze didn't work… must've been a picture."

Gently nudging her arm, Jac placed her own cup near the sink. "Guess you weren't expecting another time wielder."

Hands free, Kat wrapped them around Jac's waist. "Never came up against another one, until then. And then I followed you around like a lost sheep."

"You still kind of do," Jac smirked, eyes twinkling with impishness.

"If that wasn't true, I'd  _totally_ hit you." Tawny eyes wandered back to the bedroom, sighing. "Wish we could go back to bed."

The smirk didn't fade. "Well, I think we can spare maybe ten minutes."

Kat giggled, leaning in to whisper a soft, "I'll take it."

* * *

**Later**

The last lesson for today was combat training. Max partnered up with Chloe, practicing the moves Jen showed them. An imposing woman, toned and tan with a stern expression. Underneath the tough exterior, she was a really nice person. Honestly, she'd scared the shit out of Max the first couple times.

As for Chloe, Jen had reminded her of David at first, bringing out her worst side. The older woman, unlike her step-dad, simply replied with playful snark. Never once did she raise her voice or get physical in the face of rude behavior. Apparently, she had been forced into a 'military style' school by her family to fix her 'rebellious' behavior. In other words, a fancy name for a school run by control freaks. She  _hated_ every second of it.

She'd been one of the first to join the Hawke initiative, before it was even an official program. Like Erin and Alfie, Jen's husband and fellow power wielder. It was almost funny how different they were. A total nerd and sports star for comparison. They were pretty cute together.

While Max was getting better at the whole fighting thing, it would take a lot more to get her up to scratch. At least she didn't get out of breath as easily now. And she could sometimes one up Chloe, which annoyed the bluenette beyond explanation.

Now was one of those times.

As Chloe hit the crashmat after attempting a surprise attack, she huffed. "I let you do that. And I bet you cheated."

"Right." Max rolled her eyes, offering her hand.

Too late, she noticed the smirk and found herself suddenly pulled over and pinned. "Shouldn't let your guard down for even a second."

Max would've been mad if she hadn't been embarrassed. Memories danced through her head, intimate ones. Chloe's grin faded, blue eyes suggesting she was remembering the same incident.

"Save it for when you get home girls," Jen called over, getting a few chuckles.

The bluenette got to her feet, flipping the older woman off before helping Max to her feet. Trip and Resh exchanged knowing glances, Gerry whispering something to her half-sister as Jen began wrapping up their session.

"Good work out there. I can see some improvements. We'll keep working on it, but I'm confident you guys will be busting heads before you know it." The older woman smiled broadly. "You're free to go. Enjoy the rest of your day."

All of them helped to pack up before they left, getting a big thanks from Jen. Instead of heading back home, Max and Chloe headed to the med bay to see Quinn. He was cleaning down a work surface when they arrived, giving them his trademark beam. Although, it did seem a little forced.

"Ah, glad you showed." He motioned towards one of the recliner beds. "Get comfortable."

Less nervous than the first time she'd done this, Max sorted herself out and let him get to work. As he worked, the brunette noticed that he looked a little sad. When he caught her staring, the smile returned.

"Have you gotten in touch with your family at all?" he asked, trying to distract her.

Max nodded. "Yeah, a couple times. They seem to miss me. And Chloe." She passed a glance over at bluenette, feeling a pang of guilt before turning back to the ginger man. "I guess you don't see yours much, huh."

"Not as much as I should," he admitted with a slight frown as he continued his examination. "Time like that, you can't get back." A smile quirked at his lips. "Well, I can't. You might be able to."

"Do your family still live in Ireland?" she asked, curious.

He nodded stiffly. "What's left of them, yes." He paused, giving her a thoughtful look. "You know, it just occurred to me. Your last name. Wonder if you have some Irish blood in you."

"Wish I had the luck to go along with it," she muttered softly.

He shrugged. "Part of me thinks you do."

Max's first reaction was to tell him he was  _so_ wrong. Then she thought about it some more. She'd been given the chance to save Chloe where otherwise she'd never have spoken to her again. Maybe that was some twisted luck.

Smiling slightly at her aborted disagreement, he finished up. "You probably don't want advice from an old man, but..."

"Dude, you're hardly old," Chloe interrupted with a scoff, catching his attention.

"Older than you. Doesn't that classify as ancient to you teens?" he smirked and winked before turning back to Max. "Make time for anyone you care about. Because once they are gone… you suddenly think of all the things you should've said."

That statement hit home for Chloe, remembering all the things she wished she'd said to her dad… and Rachel. She also recalled Erin's power, communication with the dead. All she had to do was work up the courage to ask.

Swallowing hard, he ran his fingers through fiery hair. "I wish I'd made more time for my sister."

"What happened?" Worried that it might be too invasive, she backtracked. "If you don't mind me asking."

That lonely and sad expression return, almost not looking right on him. "She had a power, able to hear everyone's thoughts. Problem was, she never really learned how to block it out properly. Drove her mad. She eventually committed suicide, too much for her." He sighed, scratching his chin. "She's the reason I'm doing all this. Otherwise, I'd probably be slaving away in a regular hospital back in Ireland. Boring, right?" A flat laugh escaped his lips, deflective humor.

"That's… I'm sorry to hear that," Chloe added sympathetically.

Max couldn't help but think of Kate, how she felt the first time she saw her jump. How desperately she tried to save her. "Suicide is… a horrible way to lose someone. It feels like you could've done more and that would somehow save them."

"Some people… they can't be saved." His voice broke slightly at the end, resigned. "I'll be returning to Ireland over the weekend to go visit her grave. You won't be able to see my handsome face, not that you would even if I were here. You'd probably be at home. Which reminds me…" He motioned for Max to move off the bed. "Go get some rest. Everything seems fine."

Max put her hoodie back on and got to her feet. "Thanks, Quinn."

"'Tis my job." He gave a bow, watching them leave.

On the way out, Max and Chloe crossed paths with Felix. The security guard gave them a friendly nod, heading straight to the med bay. The whole way back to the parking lot, the two girls kept tight hold of each other's hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm gonna work to get a few stories finished off. Get back into the swing of writing. Fingers crossed.


	17. Dance with Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After much deliberation, Chloe decides to ask for Erin's help communicating with her dad or Rachel. As for Max, she is curious about the other time traveler Jac mentioned before.

**Chapter Seventeen: Dance with Death**

**Three Days Later, After Class – HAWKE Institute**

Finally after days of thinking it over, Chloe had finally worked up the courage to ask Erin if she could help her out and contact someone. Several people. All dead. The older blonde had agreed to it, telling the bluenette to come to her office after class today.

Honestly, she felt nervous. Soon, she might be able to speak to people she missed so damn much, get answers she’d been searching for. She could say goodbye properly this time.

A warm pressure on her hand snapped Chloe back to reality. Her head swiveled, met with worried blue eyes. “You doing okay?”

When she realized it was Max – of course it was, who else would it be? – the punk relaxed a little. “Yeah, just…”

“Nervous,” her red-haired friend finished for her.

“I guess…” Chloe admitted reluctantly.

Under any other circumstance, she may have tried to deny it. There was no point.

Offering a reassuring smile, Max took hold of her hand and lead her over to Erin’s office. Each step felt heavy, throat dry. Was she really ready for this? For answers?

Yes.

Gaining confidence from the redhead’s presence, Chloe sharply knocked on the door. They waited, hearing shuffling from behind the door. After a few seconds, it opened to reveal a familiar tall blonde woman.

She smiled warmly. “Right on time.”

“Only because I was here to drag her along,” Max replied with a slight smirk. “Otherwise, she’d totally be late.”

Too distracted to even deny it, the bluenette took the seat she was offered at Erin’s desk. “Thanks for this.”

“No problem.” The older woman dragged her own chair in front, brown eyes focused on blue. “Who do you want to talk to? I would suggest if there are any people further back to prioritize them.”

The people she lost to the storm would have to wait. “Well then, either my dad or… Rachel.”

“How long have each of them been dead?” Erin asked softly, trying to limit her invasiveness.

“Dad since 2008. Rachel…” Her words got caught in her throat, that wound particularly raw. “Somewhere within the past six months.”

Erin nodded, thinking it over. “I would suggest trying her first. Since she is the most recent, she’ll be easier to maintain for now. What’s her full name?”

“Rachel Dawn Amber,” Chloe answered. Even saying her name felt like a stab to the heart.

Armed with the name, Erin took a deep breath and closed her eyes. The air around them grew warmer and sparked with energy. Enough to give them goosebumps. A slight frown appeared on the blonde’s brow, concentration apparent. Chloe waited with bated breath, clasping tight to Max’s hand.

Eventually, brown eyes slowly opened. They flickered with mild confusion. “Hmm…”

“What’s wrong?” Chloe asked, feeling the disappointment already well up in the pit of her stomach.

Contemplating, Erin tapped her cheek with a manicured finger. “I can’t seem to find a connection. This happens sometimes, when spirits aren’t ready to talk. They can hide away, making it harder to trace. Other times, it’s not intentional. Subconscious. If that is the case, your father would be much easier.”

“Either of them is fine,” Chloe muttered.

“I’ll find Rachel for you later, Chloe. And anyone else you wish to contact, of course,” Erin reassured with an award-winning smile. “But let’s focus on your dad now.”

She asked for the name and repeated the process. Eyes closed. Room temperature fluctuating. Air thrumming with power. This time, her expression was more serene, suggesting it had worked. To both Max and Chloe’s surprise, one of Erin’s eyes had turned from a light brown to a familiar shade of blue. Almost identical to the punk’s.

Eventually, she spoke voice sounding deeper than before. “My little girl.”

“Dad?” Chloe asked, vulnerable and uncertain.

Erin glanced down at herself, managing an amused smile. “Oh, this is weird. Not being in my own body. But yes, it’s me.”

“I… oh, dad.” Without warning, the blue-haired girl launched herself at the slightly taller woman, arms clamped around in a tight hug.

Returning the hug, William’s medium gently patted her back. They stayed like that for some time in silence. Max observed them, feeling glad that Chloe might be able to get some closure. If only she could’ve talked to Rachel now, too…

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I’m such a fucking screw up,” the bluenette finally managed, pulling away as she wiped the tears from her face.

Erin shook her head, William’s words conveyed through her voice. “What are you talking about? I don’t think that at all.”

“Bullshit,” Chloe interrupted, harsher than intended. “How could you not think that?”

The blonde smiled, mirroring that familiar smile they associated with William – warm and loving. “Because look at you. Yes, you made some mistakes and maybe caused some grief, but the same could be said of me. Anyone.”

The bluenette opened her mouth to protest, shutting it again. She had always known her father would say something like this, but it was another thing hearing it. Well, from him, not an illusion.

Eye catching Max’s, Erin shifted her attention over. “Max, I know. What you tried to do. Changing everything to make my little girl happy.”

“You… do?” Max had to admit, she didn’t expect this.

Erin nodded, confirming. “When I died, I was flooded with so many memories, many of which weren’t my own. Well, they sort of were but I didn’t know them.”

Guilt flooded her body, remembering how she had revived him only to see his daughter suffer and inevitably let him die again. “I’m so sorry, William.”

“For what? For saving Chloe over and over again? For trying to save me to make her life better? How could I fault you for that?” Erin approached her, putting a hand on her shoulder. “Thank you, Max. For everything you’ve done.”

She beaconed the still stunned bluenette over, pulling them all into a group hug. While the body felt different, the aura was the same. Clearly William.

“Fuck, I miss you,” Chloe sobbed, burying her head in Erin’s shoulder, sensing their time was growing short. “I don’t want you to go again. I love you.”

Expression shifting at the heart-breaking tone, Erin gave her a squeeze. “I love you too. I’m not going anywhere, Chloe. I’ll always be here. And I’m sure if you need to talk to me again, Erin will be more than happy to help.” Her eyes shifted to Max. “Keep looking after her, please.”

The redhead didn’t even hesitate. “I will.”

With one final squeeze and smile, Erin broke their hug. The one blue eye faded back to brown, a sigh escaping her lips. “I’m sorry I couldn’t hold on longer.”

Chloe didn’t say a word. Instead, she hugged the woman hard. “Thank you.”

Smiling her own smile again, the blonde woman gave the younger girl a hug. It felt very different from the one she had received moments ago but just as warm. “You are most welcome.”

It had been worth it to ease the pain, even a fraction.

* * *

**Later – Max and Chloe’s Apartment**

When the pair got home, they decided to order takeout. Neither felt like cooking. After their food, Chloe decided to grab a shower. She needed to clear her head. Heading off to the bathroom, she didn’t even bother shutting the door behind her.

Today had been fucking insane. Getting to talk to her dad again. Of course, now her mind came up with a million other things she wanted to say and ask. Typical.

Sighing, she proceeded to pull her top over her head. When she heard some shuffling and a stifled gasp, blue eyes shifted to the door. Stood there was a very flushed redhead.

“Chloe… oh, uh… sorry. The door was open so I…” Max stuttered, trying not to be too obvious in her peaking. “I’ll just, uh…”

“Guess it’s your turn to barge in on me, huh?” Smirking, Chloe caught her wrist before she could leave. “Oh, what’s the rush?”

Max’s eyes widened, blush intensifying, but she didn’t try to escape her grip. The bluenette could see her swallow, trying not to make her stares too obvious.

“You know, you can come join me. If you want,” Chloe suggested, chuckling when Max looked like she was on the verge of a heart attack. “Don’t worry. I plan on getting clean, not dirtier. Besides, I always have a problem reaching my back.”

The hipster bit her lip, pondering. She had two options here: decline or go with the flow. When she thought of it like that, the answer became clear. “Okay, then.”

A little surprised that the redhead agreed, Chloe blinked a few times. “Wow, okay. I was… kinda expecting you to say no. Not complaining.”

They stood still for a moment, not sure how to go about this. Clearing her throat, Chloe took a step forward and put her hands on Max’s hoodie. Blue eyes met blue, making sure this was okay. The redhead gave a small yet definite nod, feeling her heart race as the blue-haired punk helped her out of her clothes.

Chloe gently pulled her top over her head, taking a moment to look at her girlfriend before she put her hands on the waistband of the redhead’s jeans. It took Max a moment to follow her lead, fingers tightening around the button and popping it open, then the zipper.

Soon, they were both in their underwear. Not unfamiliar territory. With a nod, they helped each other out of their bras and finally panties. Whenever Max seemed the least bit uncertain, Chloe stopped and pressed a kiss to her lips, shoulder, forehead. Anywhere she could reach.

Then, they were totally naked in front of each other. Holding out her hand, the bluenette coaxed her girlfriend over. Taking it firmly, Max followed her over to the shower. Switching it on, they stepped inside letting the warm water hit their skin. Chloe grabbed the shampoo, motioning for the shorter girl to turn around. When she did, she squirted some onto her hands and ran her fingers through mid-length hair.

Max closed her eyes, feeling fingernails lightly scrape across her scalp. It was like when Chloe helped dye her hair, which had already felt pretty… intimate. After carefully washing out the shampoo, she let Max return the favor. She had to duck down a little so she could reach.

“You’re not uncomfortable, are you?” Max asked, conscious of the height difference.

“If I was, you know I’d totally bitch about it,” Chloe chuckled softly.

“Just checking,” the redhead muttered with a slight smile at the light-hearted comment.

Chloe turned back to smile at her. “I know.”

Once hair was clean, the bluenette got some shower gel on her hands and motioned for Max to give up her arm. Complying, she felt Chloe’s hands work their way along her skin. She stopped at the shoulder, getting Max to turn so she could get her back. As hands wandered further, the redhead felt herself tense slightly. More in anticipation than anything.

Not wanting to push it too much, Chloe let her fingers lightly graze the base of Max’s spine before venturing further south and letting her soapy hands glide over the redhead’s buttocks. She didn’t linger there long, crouching down so she could get her legs and feet.

Standing up again, she took the other arm and washed it thoroughly, moving on to her chest and stomach. When fingers brushed an exposed nipple, Max couldn’t help the slight jolt of her body.

“Doing okay?” Chloe asked softly, stopping to check.

“Yeah,” she managed, letting her girlfriend finish up before returning the favor.

Soft hands slid across even softer skin, covering it with a thin layer of foam. She could hear the soft sighs of contentment, sending involuntary shivers down her spine. All the while, she took her time examining parts of Chloe’s body she was not yet used to. In time, they would be as well-known as her own.

As payback for earlier, when she got to Chloe’s chest she made sure to graze the punk’s nipple in an unexpected display of bravery. The bluenette shriek. “Ah, you… you did that on purpose.”

“Was an accident, swear.” Suppressing the smirk, Max held up her hands not even that conscious that she was naked right now baring all… well, maybe a little, but it was okay.

“Like how I’m going to elbow you in the face by accident?” Chloe playfully threatened, instead grabbing Max and pulling her into a kiss.

Their lips locked, tongues dancing as the water cascaded over them. They held each other close, not pushing it. Both felt totally safe in each other’s arms. When all the shower gel had washed away, long after that, they finally stepped out of the shower and got dry. Again, they helped each other.

Once dry, they changed into the pajamas and headed off to bed. They’d both had a long day, snuggling up close.

After some time, Chloe called out into the darkness. “Max, thanks for being there today.”

“No problem.”

Letting out a soft sigh, the bluenette shuffled slightly. “I just… wish I could’ve spoken to Rachel. Not that I’m ungrateful for being able to talk to my dad. Not at all. I just… guess she has more answers to give.”

“I’m sure you can. Hella soon,” the red-haired hipster added with a gentle smile.

“Dork,” Chloe whispered back, giving her a soft kiss before letting sleep take her.

* * *

**Two Days Later, After Class – HAWKE Institute**

Today, Max had decided to hunt down the other time traveler Jac had mentioned before. It was odd, she hadn’t seen this other mystery power user in the facility before. When she had asked her mentor about it, the conversation had been… interesting to say the least.

* * *

_Having arranged a meeting, Max knocked on Jac’s office door. She was swiftly invited inside, taking a seat in front of the desk._

_The older woman shuffled in her seat, gray eyes flitting to her student. “What can I help you with today?”_

_Here went nothing. “Jac, I have a question about the other time traveler you guys mentioned before.”_

_“Ah, yes. She’s a…” Jac paused for a moment, “…special case.”_

_That piqued Max’s interest. “How so?”_

_“Well, she actually has two powers,” the older redhead revealed._

_“Two?” That surprised her. “I didn’t even realize that was possible.”_

_Pushing some of Kat’s invading papers away, she continued, “There have been one or two who expressed a vague connection to another power in the past, but that didn’t last long.”_

_“How long has she had hers?” the freckled girl asked, curious to know more._

_Leaning back in her seat, Jac let her fingers interlock. “Her primary power, several years. The secondary power, which is time travel, a few months. Not that she’s had much chance to use it.”_

_The new knowledge brought with it a million different questions. “What’s her other power?”_

_Jac seemed deep in thought, closing her eyes for just a moment. “I’m not actually sure. Since she’s not actually in the time travel division yet. Some sort of elemental one, I think. Which could be anything since they lump them together in the same sector. Her other power is apparently more… volatile. Reacts to her emotions, which are also unstable I hear. And since it’s her predominant power, it needs addressing first.”_

_All of this just made Max that much more curious to talk to her. “Can I meet her?”_

_“Hmm… I don’t see why not.” Jac pulled out her HNTR device. “I will have to organize it, but it hopefully should work out just fine. I’ll let you know if and when I can arrange a meeting for.”_

* * *

True to her word, Jac managed to get her access to the elemental ward of the HAWKE building. She’d never been in here before, never needing to. It was a little bigger than the time travel section, which made sense. There were more elemental users, both student and agent.

Chloe had decided to tag along, not having much else to do. She had to admit, she was curious as well. Jac had given them a room number to go on. The problem was finding it. Max wasn’t known for her… navigational skills. There was a name too, but apparently it had been made up. For whatever reason, this girl had been placed under particularly high-security protection.

From what?

“So, we lost yet?” the bluenette asked as they wandered the halls.

“Maybe,” Max reluctantly admitted with a sigh.

Before she could say another word, she noticed a familiar boy walking towards them. When their eyes met, he seemed a little surprised then smiled. “Max, Chloe, what’re you doing here?”

“Hi Resh.” Returning the smile, Max replied, “We’ve come to see someone.”

“Mysterious.” He stroked his chin in mock thought. Before jabbing back down the hall with his thumb. “I’m just going to one of my special lessons. You know, trying to learn to control my power.”

“How’s that coming on?” Chloe asked, now joining the conversation.

“Good, actually. I’m not, uh, throwing random fireballs at people when I get angry anymore. Progress is progress.” He held up his thumbs and smiled.

“God, this place is infested with dorks,” the blue-haired punk chuckled.

“Watch out you don’t catch nerditis,” Resh countered, wiggling his fingers and getting closer as if he were trying to spread something.

Sidestepping him, Chloe shook her head. “I’m too cool to catch it.”

“Uh, Resh… do you know, um… where this room is?” The redhead handed over the piece of paper.

He examined it, nodding slowly. “I do, yeah. Come on, I’ll take you there. I’m pretty sure she’ll be in now.”

The three of them headed back from where Resh had come.

As they walked, Max’s curiosity got the better of her. “What’s she like?”

Resh thought it over, opening the door and holding it open for them. “I get the feeling she’s been through a lot, and she’s good at hiding it for the most part. I’ve only spoken to her a couple times. She’s been in and out of the med bay since she got here, so don’t get to see her much.”

“Sounds rough,” Chloe muttered sympathetically.

He shrugged. “I don’t think she minds too much. Although, that might just be her putting on a brave face.”

To be in and out of the med bay must mean something was going on. “Is she gonna be okay?”

“Oh yeah,” he reassured confidently. “Due to the circumstances of her power gain, they want to keep a close eye on her. I don’t know that much about it, though.”

They continued down the corridor for a little longer, coming up to a more welcoming section. Resh turned around and motioned to the middle door on the left. “That’s it.”

Thanking him, Max and Chloe watched him retrace his steps. They exchanged a glance, nodding. With no time to waste, they approached the room. Feeling nervous all of a sudden, the redhead swallowed and slowly extended her hand to knock on the door. Before she could even get close to alerting the occupant of her presence, it opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who could it possibly be? Find out next chapter.


	18. Exposure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... might be some BTS spoilers in this one... you have been warned!

**Chapter Eighteen: Exposure**

For a moment, they simply stared at the girl before them. The girl stared back. A frankly impossible sight. Even after all the logic-bending bullshit they had come across, often screwing them over. Death and destruction.

Now… this?

"What the fuck?" Chloe muttered, breathless.

Her heart skipped a beat, blue orbs fixated on the person they had come to visit. Before them stood a hazel-eyed blonde. Petite and pretty. A girl Max had never met… and Chloe had been searching for all this time.

No doubt about it. This was Rachel Amber.

"Chloe?" she hesitantly called out, almost as surprised as they were by the unexpected reunion.

Immediately, the bluenette noticed some differences. The Rachel she knew practically exuded fearlessness and confidence. A burning flame that couldn't be douse, for better or worse. This girl before her was… flat? The once radiant light had dimmed, hazel eyes framed by dark circles and overly pale skin.

A shadow of her former self.

"Rachel…" The whispered name was accompanied by tears, falling thick and fast now.

She didn't bother to stop them.

It felt like she was seeing a ghost. Technically, she was. Her mind raced, nothing making sense. They had  _found_ Rachel. There was no mistaking that. So how? How was she  _here_?

With an almost uncharacteristic awkwardness, Rachel sighed. "I suppose you have a few questions."

That was too much for Chloe. Fists clenched, she snarled. "More than a fucking few! I thought you were dead! Why didn't you get in touch with me?" Her last word was stifled by a sob. Heartbreaking.

Max said nothing. It wasn't her place. This was between Chloe and Rachel… as tempting as it was to ask questions. To confront the blonde, recount the day Chloe found out about Frank… and when they uncovered her in the junkyard.

If Rachel wasn't dead, where had she been this past six months? How had she survived? Jefferson and Nathan had been so certain she was dead.

And then something clicked.

She remembered where they were and why they had come here. Rachel had  _powers_. Just like her. Time travel and something else. Elemental. Her powers had to be the reason she was alive. No question.

Still, Max didn't know how they had kept her alive. Especially after what they found in the junkyard. If she had simply gone missing and never found, that was one thing. It was  _another_  in the face of… such obvious evidence that she was dead.

A body.

Rachel's face crumpled at the pain on Chloe's face. At the tears. She had seen the blue-haired punk cry a few times over the years. Never quite like this. She wanted to apologize and hug her, but that wouldn't be enough. Nowhere near.

Instead, her shoulders slumped slightly as she stared directly into familiar blue eyes. "I… couldn't. Don't you think I would've if I could?"

"But…" Chloe began, not sure how to finish that sentence.

She didn't know the full story. Anything she said now was irrelevant until she had heard Rachel's side. This was her chance to get the answers she needed. Whatever she was feeling now – betrayal, relief, confusion, anger and everything else – she had to suppress it.

For now, at least.

Noting the silence, an impasse, Max finally spoke up. "Rachel, can you tell us what happened?"

As if she'd only just noticed the brunette's presence, Rachel turned to face Max. A flicker of recognition sparked in her eyes, searching. "You seem familiar somehow…"

"Max. Chloe's…" she paused, realizing it was better to leave certain revelations to Chloe given the circumstances, "childhood friend."

The slight confusion faded away, recalling the various pictures she'd seen. "Ah, yeah. You look a little different from the pictures I've seen."

Max managed a smile, even if it was a little forced. "I should hope at least a little."

There was a moment of silence, both Max and Chloe waiting to see what Rachel would say next. The explanation for… some of the mysteries. The blonde stepped aside, letting them into her room. Sharing an uncertain glance, they headed inside.

It was a fairly small room. Big enough for one person. The main room doubled up as a kitchen dining area and bedroom. A kitchenette was tucked into an alcove in the wall. In the center was a small wooden table and two chairs, the remnants of a meal still lingering. To the right of the door was a closed off room. Most likely a bathroom.

The walls were bare aside for a poster or two. In the corner sat a single bed, covered in blankets and pillows. Cozy nest were the words that came to mind. At the foot of the bed was a wooden desk and computer chair.

Beside it was a small chest of drawers acting as a bedside table. Balanced on it was a small light, a purple dome with star shapes carved into it. Chloe recognized the design, not the same one she'd made all those years ago but very similar.

Max took the chair, while Chloe and Rachel sat down on the bed. The brunette felt a little awkward being here but she wanted answers too. Also, she doubted Chloe would want to be totally on her own for this. At least, initially.

"I get that you want answers. To be honest, I do too. But I'll tell you what I know." Rachel shifted uncomfortably, starting her explanation. "The past couple months have been… rough. I wanted to leave Arcadia so badly. I did… things I wasn't proud of and they came to bite me in the ass."

Out of the corner of her eye, Max caught Chloe tensing up. "Yeah, we've… seen that."

Expression turning darker and guiltier, Rachel seemed to curl in on herself. "Oh… how much?"

"Enough," Chloe managed, sounding more bitter than intended.

"We, uh… know about Frank and… yeah," the brunette hesitantly explained, filling her in.

Rachel nodded stiffly. "I see… I know it means nothing really but… I'm sorry, Chloe. I got confused and I… needed to get out of that place."

"Without me?" The question wasn't even angry this time. Just… sad.

"No.  _With you_ ," Rachel answered firmly. "That was always the plan. Why I… there's no way I could leave without you. Or I'd get things sorted out and then come back when I could make sure it was going to be a permanent move."

"Fuck, Rachel…" Chloe rubbed her slightly damp face with her hand. "Why didn't you tell me? Trust me?"

"I  _did_ trust you…" the blonde insisted, needing her to understand. "You've been so good to me over the years, helped me so much. I wanted to return the favor. Give you the life I know you deserve. I just… went about it the totally wrong way. And it fucked everyone over."

Knowing there was on part Chloe would find understandably hard to mention, Max swallowed as the familiar rancid stench filled her nostrils… alongside the punk's heart-wrenching sobs. "We… found you. In the junkyard."

Rachel's face fell, eyes widening in horror. "Oh no… I'm so sorry." She glanced over at Chloe, who had started to tear up all over again. "Chloe… you shouldn't have seen that."

Exhaling shakily, Chloe struggled to get her next question out. "If your… body was there, how can you be here too?"

"Honestly, I thought I was dead and then…" Rachel's expression turned distant, reliving that moment. "I wasn't. I was stood in the junkyard, right by the place my body had been buried. It was… still there." It still confused her, if she was honest. Not to mention  _horrified_ her.

"What?" Max's mind whirred, trying to figure out what had happened. She'd experienced a lot of strange things with her power. This was…

"I didn't understand it either. Don't now, really," the blonde exhaled deeply. "I was there but… my dead body was there, too. It freaked me the fuck out. I ran."

"Then what happened?" Max prompted.

Chloe remained silent, listening intently. She'd heard and seen enough crazy for three lifetimes over already. But she had to know the full story. Or as much as she could. No matter how insane it became.

"I ran until I couldn't run anymore. My head felt like it was going to explode and I passed out," Rachel continued, drawing her knees to her chest and hugging herself. "Next thing I know, I'm in a room. Of course, I panicked. Thought I was back in… that place. Dark Room."

None of them needed further clarification.

"But you weren't," Max softly concluded.

"No," the blonde confirmed shakily, a little surprised that Max seemed to know about it. "I was in like a hospital place. I was in a coma for a while. When I woke up, someone told me what happened, that they found me passed out in the middle of the forest. And then brought me here."

Finding her voice again, Chloe spoke next. "What happened then?"

"They told me I had… powers." The word still seemed so foreign to her. "Not just one but  _two_. I couldn't believe it… but how else could I be dead but not dead? They did some tests and said I could travel in time. That and control wind." Something fell into place for her, eyes fixed on the other two girls. "I guess if you're here then…"

"I can also time travel," Max revealed cautiously.

"For all intents and purposes, I'm a power booster," Chloe added.

"I think I heard something about power users being drawn to one another so… I suppose that makes sense." Not as surprised as she perhaps should be, Rachel simply nodded. "Apparently, I've had the ability to manipulate wind for a while. The time travel kicked in when my life was in danger. They seem to think I… dragged another Rachel into this timeline and… took her place."

Something popped into Max's mind then. "I wonder if that's why you also went missing in another timeline I visited." When she was met with a confused glance from Rachel, she went on to explain. "I can, um… jump into photos and play out that part of history. After we found out about you and… Frank." Out of the corner of her eye, the brunette caught Chloe tensing again. "I wanted to change everything for her… and I did."

Rachel frowned slightly. "How?"

"I saved William but…" Max swallowed back tears at the thought of that alternate timeline. "Chloe was paralyzed from the neck down. Dying."

Rachel said nothing, only stared with watery hazel eyes at her. Not wanting to believe.

"I…" Max struggled to tell the next part but somehow managed to keep her voice relatively steady, "killed her. She asked me to and I did. Then I came back. Point is, you weren't there in that timeline either."

"I see…" Rachel took a moment to get her head around the new information. "So, I guess maybe it's true. Shit, it's not enough for me to ruin everyone else's lives but I have to ruin my own as well twice."

Chloe wanted to disagree. Tell her that yes, she had messed up but… well, the punk wasn't actually sure what she wanted to say. She just didn't want Rachel to look so sad.

Shaking her head slightly, the blonde changed the subject. "You know… my mom is here. Sera."

Blue eyes widened. "What?"

"I was shocked too," Rachel admitted with a conflicted smile. "She heard I was down in the med bay and apparently came every day until I woke up. You can imagine how confused I was. Seems she has powers, too. Something to do with dreams."

That kind of power wasn't a surprise for Max. "We have someone in our group who can venture into dreams. A dreamwalker."

"I think mom mentioned that. Or something similar," Rachel confirmed before continuing. "She said she does stuff with… ravens or something."

"Ravens?"

The bluenette's mind wandered back three years ago, to when the dreams – or perhaps nightmares would be more apt - with her father reached their peak of strange. Something always stuck out in her mind, made sense in the dream but never did in reality.

A solitary raven.

Had that been… Sera's influence? Why?

These weren't the only questions racing through Chloe's mind. There were so many answers she needed now. Some of which… she couldn't ask for in front of Max. It would be awkward enough with just her and Rachel.

Sighing, she turned to her brunette girlfriend and offered an apologetic smile. "Max. I need a word with Rachel. In private."

"Of course. I needed to go see some people anyway." That wasn't a lie. She had been planning on paying Jac a visit while they were here.

Nodding, she left the room. Part of her couldn't help but feel worried. She trusted Chloe, no doubt about that, but… it was clear she still loved Rachel. Anyone could see it. Why else would she go to such lengths to find her? Put her own life at great risk.

She was so caught up in thought that she didn't even realize she had walked all the way to Jac's office until she practically walked into the door. Shaking it off, she knocked and heard a familiar voice greet her inside. Not Jac but Kat.

Pushing the door open, she stuck her head inside. Kat was all on her own. She glanced up from her messy pile of papers giving a tired smile which quickly turned into something more serious. "I know that look. Come on, lay it all on me."

Deciding that Kat might know about Rachel from Jac, Max sat down on the other side of the desk. "Do you know about that girl Jac looked into for me?"

"The other time traveler?" Kat asked, getting a nod in response.

"That's the one. I guess you heard about that from Jac," Max concluded. "Turns out we know her. Well… Chloe does."

Kat didn't look as surprised as Max had expected. "Damn, small world huh."

"Yeah… they were friends and…" she paused, frowning slightly, "more. Until she went missing suddenly."

Starting to understand, the tawny-eyed woman's expression shifted to something much softer and sympathetic. "And you're worried?"

As much as Max didn't want to admit it, she was. "Obviously, I'm glad that Rachel is back. I didn't want her to die but… yeah, maybe I am a little worried." She felt embarrassed and selfish feeling… jealous.

Leaning in closer, Kat offered some reassurance. "Max, I've seen the way Chloe looks at you. It's the same way Jac looks at me. And I look at her, I'm sure. It'll be confusing for Chloe, yeah but I don't think she'd do anything to hurt you."

"I know…" she sighed deeply, "and I guess it's selfish thinking like this."

"We all deserve to be a little selfish now and then," Kat added softly. "You should talk to Chloe about it. Secrets can get people hurt."

The way she said that made Max curious. "Sounds like you have experience with that."

A pained expression crossed her face. "Oh, I do. Too much. It's safe to say we all do."

Unable to help herself, the recent redhead decided to press for a little more information. "Kat… can I ask you something?"

"Go on."

"Have you ever… hurt someone with your power?" When Kat froze up, tawny eyes widening, Max began backtracking. "You don't have to answer…"

"I… have." Her entire demeanor changed. No longer bubbly and cheerful. Solemn and dark as she retreated back into distant memory. "Lots of people. And I would still be hurting people if it wasn't for Jac and the HAWKE initiative. But mostly Jac." Managing a fond smile, her aura once again shifted drastically. Much lighter, tinted with sad realization. "She saved me from evil people. From myself."

"How so?" the young time traveler pressed, wondering how much she would get away with here.

There were so many questions running around in her head. Some to do with her own situation, just as many related to those she had come to know from the facility. While a few had been forthcoming, others kept tight-lipped. Probably not wanting or needing the reminder of their past.

Normally, Kat was reluctant to even mention it but there was only so long she could hide it. Max meant no harm. That much she could tell. While she wouldn't delve into the details - only Jac knew everything and Erin had heard enough to put the pieces together - perhaps it was time to start letting other people in again.

Taking a deep breath, she began to recount her past. "When I was fifteen, my powers triggered. Simultaneously the worst and best thing that could've ever happened to me. Seems contradictory but…"

Max nodded, understanding the confliction. "I've seen enough contradictory things to understand a little."

"I'm sure you have," Kat replied wistfully. "Long story short, my mom found out about my power. It started off with harmless tests, you know. Fun, really. Then… before I knew it, it wasn't fun and games anymore. She wasn't my mom. She was… a cruel woman driven by money and power."

"That's… awful." Words really didn't do it justice.

"It was." With a sigh, the older woman moved aside the hair from her neck. On the back was a brand mark. Faded but still visible. A stag. "Sign of ownership."

Not sure what to say, Max remained silent. Sometimes, it was best not to interrupt. Just let people tell their story.

Letting her hair hide the mark again, Kat continued. "When I was twenty-one, I was sent out on a mission to assassinate a business rival of Roscoe Enterprise. By that point, I was little more than a shell. A weapon. Jac stopped me and… I broke down. Asked her to kill me."

"I'm guessing she didn't," Max concluded.

In response to that, Kat shook her head. "No. Instead, she held me while I cried and took me back to the HAWKE HQ. Ever since that day, I clung to her like a life raft. If I was alone for more than five minutes, my nightmarish past crept back and I cried. Good thing she's so patient and gentle."

Jac did strike Max as the insanely patient type. She had no doubt that if a line was crossed, that would change.

Managing a fond smile tinted with memories of past insecurity, the older agent pressed ahead with her story. "About a year in, I'd fallen in love with her. But I thought she saw me as a nuisance, a burden. So I never said a thing. How could she love me back? Someone who'd killed so many people without mercy. A broken woman who couldn't function on her own."

"I'm sure she didn't see you like that," Max reassured. She of all people knew about self-doubts, how they may seem illogical but persisted. Dragged you down, drowning.

The doubt faded away completely from her smile. "One day, I couldn't hold it in anymore. I told her how I felt. She listened. Waiting until I finished. It made me so nervous. That woman has an amazing poker face. Anyway, when I came to the end of my rambling, she just smiled."

"That must've confused you."

Kat chuckled. "A little at first. I couldn't quite figure out if she was amused or happy by my confession. Without warning she just… straight up kissed me. Took me by surprise. Then she actually mentioned how she'd felt the same way for a while but didn't want to take advantage of my dependency on her." Her next laugh was more self-depreciative. "Made us both feel pretty stupid."

"I can imagine…" Max had felt pretty stupid more than once.

"As much as I hate what happened, have nightmares about it sometimes, it was all worth it to meet Jac. I wouldn't change a thing." She sounded so confident in that. "And I'm sure you feel the same."

Max didn't have to think about it. However much she had to suffer, she'd do it all a million times over to be with Chloe again. "I do."

Once more, Kat smiled. "At the end of the day, we have to look out for those special people in our lives. No matter the cost." Her smile faltered slightly. "And there's always a cost." Tawny eyes shimmered with mild amusement. "Or, I guess in your case, a Price."

Shaking her head, Max tried to stifle the grin at the wording. "You could say that."

She just hoped all the prices had been paid…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As tempting as it was to make it someone like Kate (that would've been funny since Rachel is the obvious bet), there was too much appeal to make it Rach. So many LIS plot points to exploit. After BTS, the idea got pushed forward and even easier to include.
> 
> Next time, we'll see Chloe and Rachel's convo and some other things. See you then.

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is one of a few stories I have lined up for release. There is an endless stream of stuff I want to get started. Maybe one day I’ll manage it all... Kat and Jac will be making regular appearances throughout the story. Anyway, have a great day, stay safe out there and I’ll see you next time.


End file.
